ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGE

Carbon Sequestration

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change with reference to his Department's Carbon Capture and Storage Roadmap, what the timetable is for the development of a strategy for carbon capture and storage outside the power sector.

Charles Hendry: The CCS Roadmap, which was published on 3 April, explored the long-term development of CCS for both power and energy intensive industries. The CCS Commercialisation programme, which was launched alongside the Roadmap, makes available £1 billion in capital grant funding to support projects to develop CCS. Following closure of bids on 3 July, decisions on which projects to support will be made in the autumn following an assessment and evaluation process.

Carbon Sequestration

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of the role of clusters of power stations when considering the location of carbon capture and storage projects.

Charles Hendry: I have made no such assessment. However, the Government has supported directly and indirectly a number of studies into CCS cluster development. Under the CCS Commercialisation programme, which closed to bids on 3 July, all bidders were required to include an assessment on clustering potential.

Energy: Infrastructure

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost of energy infrastructure needed if generation capacity has (a) at least to double and (b) potentially to triple, as envisaged in paragraph 3.3.14 of the Revised Draft Overarching National Policy Statement for Energy, October 2010.

Charles Hendry: In the Carbon Plan(1), the Department explored four scenarios which are consistent with its target to cut green house gas emissions by 80% by 2050. In these pathways, electricity generation capacity increases from 77 GW in 2007 to 89-162 GW in 2050.
	The Department's 2050 Calculator(2) estimates the costs of these pathways. The annual total cost of the energy system (including everything from power stations and industrial processes, cars, planes and trains and the fuel they use, gas boilers and cavity wall insulation) ranges from £330 billion to £370 billion in the period to 2050(3). Of this, annual total electricity infrastructure capital and operating costs are estimated to vary between £17.9 billion and £29.7 billion. This includes the following technologies: Conventional thermal plant, Combustion + CCS, Nuclear power, Onshore wind, Offshore wind, Hydroelectric, Wave and Tidal, Geothermal, Distributed solar PV. Networks, Storage, demand shifting and backup. Note that these infrastructure costs exclude the cost of fossil fuels used in electricity generation.
	In one of these pathways, “higher renewables, more energy efficiency”, electricity generation capacity doubles by 2050 (from 77 GW in 2007 to 162 GW in 2050). In this pathway, the annual total electricity infrastructure and operating cost is £29.7 billion in the period to 2050. The total annual energy system cost is £359 billion in the period to 2050.
	If we do not tackle climate change, electricity generation capacity may rise to 96 GW by 2050. The total annual electricity infrastructure and operating cost is estimated at £12.8 billion and the total energy system cost could be £333 billion in the period to 2050.
	The development of the 2050 Calculator's cost methodology was open to the public and scrutinised by experts across the energy field. However, given the long time frame involved, there are still considerable uncertainties around the estimates.
	(1) As published in December 2011. See:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/carbon_plan/carbon_plan.aspx
	(2)Note:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/tackling/2050/2050.aspx
	Results taken from version published in July 2012.
	(3) Annual average in the period to 2050.

Energy: Prices

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the proportion of households likely to be net (a) gainers and (b) losers under current energy policies in 2020.

Charles Hendry: DECC is transparent about the cost and expected impact of its policies on households. All policies are subject to Impact Assessments which are publicly available on the DECC website. DECC also publishes analysis of the estimated cumulative impact of policies on household energy bills each year alongside the Annual Energy Statement. The estimated impacts of energy and climate change policies on energy prices and bills was last published in November 2011. This analysis includes information on the distributional bill impacts of policies across the household distribution.
	Some policies—like those requiring products to be more efficient—are likely to bring benefits to the vast majority of households over the next decade.
	By 2020, DECC also estimates that around 35% of households will benefit from one or more of the following: an insulation measure (partly or fully subsidised), small-scale renewable electricity measure in receipt of tariff payments or the warm home discount.
	Policies such as cold weather payments and winter fuel allowance provide income benefits which are not reflected in bills and therefore additional to these.
	The Government's energy policies also deliver important benefits to households through increased comfort, emissions reductions and benefits of security of energy supply, which cannot be captured in estimates which look only at bills.

Energy: Prices

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the cost of domestic fuel bills at constant prices in (a) 2012, (b) 2013, (c) 2014, (d) 2015 and (e) 2016.

Charles Hendry: DECC published estimates of average annual household energy (gas and electricity) bills in 2011, 2020 and 2030 alongside the Annual Energy Statement (AES) in November 2011. This analysis is available online at:
	http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/meeting_energy/aes/impacts/impacts.aspx
	DECC has committed to updating these estimates annually as part of the AES.
	The main driver of movements in energy bills over the next few years is likely to remain fossil fuel prices, which are volatile. The estimated changes in energy bills over time presented in this report are a reasonable assessment of the trends over the period given the assumptions about future fossil fuel prices and the estimated impact of climate change and energy policies on prices and consumption. In reality, however, other factors will also drive changes in energy bills (largely through consumption), most notably annual changes in weather and consumer tastes. For the purpose of this analysis, the impacts of these other factors have not been captured in our energy bills estimates.
	The following table presents a time series of estimated average household energy bills (in real 2010 prices) in each year from 2012 to 2016 consistent with the published analysis and based on DECC's central scenario for fossil fuel prices. These figures also include the estimated impact of Government policies consistent with this scenario:
	
		
			 Estimated average household energy (gas and electricity) bills (real 2010 prices) 
			  Average household energy (gas + electricity) bills (real 2010 prices) (£) 
			 2012 1,320 
			 2013 1,363 
			 2014 1,408 
			 2015 1,402 
			 2016 1,402

Energy: Prices

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of small businesses which have been subject to back-billing for energy supplies of (a) one to two, (b) two to three, (c) three to four, (d) four to five and (e) five to six years in (i) 2010-11, (ii) 2011-12 and (iii) 2012-13 to date.

Gregory Barker: DECC does not hold the information requested.
	Ofgem is responsible for the regulation of gas and electricity supply, including to the non-domestic sector. Ofgem has been working with industry and consumer groups to assess the financial impact of backbilling on small businesses and energy suppliers. This has led to the introduction of a new set of voluntary standards for the treatment of micro-businesses. Some suppliers have made further commitments on the time limit on backbilling, and Ofgem is continuing to monitor this issue.

Energy: Prices

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what plans he has to reform the differential cost of electricity rates between English regions; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: Several factors drive the differential cost of electricity rates between English regions. The most significant is the different levels of investment in, and operation, of the local distribution and high voltage transmission networks in each region which can affect costs and hence network charges.
	Network charges are a matter for Ofgem as the independent regulator of the gas and electricity markets. All network companies are incentivised by Ofgem to operate efficiently. These incentives and the performance of network companies against them are regularly monitored by Ofgem.

Energy: Prices

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of small business customers who have been subject to automatic rollover of their electricity and gas supply contracts in the latest period for which figures are available.

Gregory Barker: DECC does not hold the information requested.
	Ofgem is responsible for the regulation of gas and electricity supply, including supply to the non-domestic sector. If a non-domestic customer does not notify their existing supplier that they wish to agree a new contract or switch to another supplier within the time limit set out in the terms of the contract, the supplier will roll over the contract for a further 12 months. This ensures that the non-domestic customer continues to receive their energy supply.

Energy: Prices

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what assessment he has made of bringing small business contracts into alignment with the code of practice for accurate bills which applies to domestic supply agreements.

Gregory Barker: It is for Ofgem, as the independent regulator for gas and electricity markets, to consider whether further regulatory protection is required in the non-domestic supply sector.
	Micro-businesses—those that consume less than 200,000 kWh gas per year or 55,000 kWh electricity per year, or have a turnover/balance sheet of less than €2 million, or fewer than 10 full-time employees—may ask the Ombudsman Service to investigate complaints about their energy supply if their energy providers are unable to resolve the disputes. Larger business can address issues through the legal system, as they would with disputes with suppliers of other goods and services.

Environment Protection: Employment

Laura Sandys: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the likely change in the number of jobs in the UK renewable energy sector up to 2015.

Gregory Barker: DECC has not made an estimate of the likely change in the number of jobs in the UK renewable energy sector up to 2015.
	We are also aware of a number of other reports which show the potential future benefits from renewables. For example, in its “Renewable Energy: Made in Britain” report, published in April, the Renewable Energy Association (REA) estimates that over 400,000 jobs would be needed to deliver the UK's renewable energy target by 2020. The turnover associated with this rate of growth would be approaching £50 billion.
	In addition, implementing our electricity market reforms will require a significant increase in skilled professionals and will support the creation of jobs in the sector. Initial estimates suggest that the infrastructure investment enabled by our electricity market reforms could lead to as many as 250,000 more people being employed in the low-carbon energy sector by 2030.

Fuel Poverty

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what progress his Department has made towards its statutory obligation to eliminate fuel poverty by 2016.

Gregory Barker: The coalition Government is committed to doing all that is reasonably practicable to end fuel poverty in England by 2016 and to supporting low income vulnerable households heat their homes at an affordable cost.
	A household is said to be fuel poor if it needs to spend more than 10% of its income on fuel to maintain an adequate level of warmth. Fuel poverty is therefore based on modelled spending on energy rather than actual spending. In 2010, the latest year for which data are available, the number of households in fuel poverty was estimated to be 3.5 million in England, which is a reduction of 0.5 million since 2009.
	Although the number of households in fuel poverty reduced between 2009 and 2010, fuel poverty remains a huge challenge. The Government has a range of policies to address the contributing factors of fuel poverty, including Warm Front, carbon emissions reduction target, warm home discount, winter fuel payments and cold weather payments. In the future, the new Green Deal and Energy Company Obligation will be our flagship policy for improving the energy efficiency of the nation's housing stock.

Fuel Poverty

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change whether his Department has conducted an impact assessment of the installation of smart meters on people in fuel poverty.

Gregory Barker: The programme has assessed the impact of smart meters on those that are considered to be in fuel poverty. The EDRP trials suggest that consumers in areas with a higher proportion of fuel poverty saved at least as much as those in other areas. An end to estimated billing will reduce the debt risk for lower income households.
	Pre-payment customers often are disproportionately on lower incomes and are expected to benefit significantly from installation of smart meters. Installation will make it easier to top up and switch between payment methods while also permitting ‘friendly credit' arrangements which prevent customers losing supply if they run out of credit overnight or when shops are closed. The costs associated with this payment method will reduce and we expect the premium historically paid by pre-payment customers to end.

Fuel Poverty

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will estimate the number of households that have entered fuel poverty in (a) England, (b) Scotland, (c) Wales and (d) Northern Ireland since May 2010.

Gregory Barker: The latest year for which data are available is 2010. The following table shows the number of households in fuel poverty in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland in 2010. Fuel poverty is a devolved measurement and each country of the UK is responsible for measuring the number of fuel poor households in their own country.
	
		
			 Fuel poor households 
			  Number of households in fuel poverty (thousand) 
			 England 3,536 
			 Scotland 658 
			 Wales (1)332 
			 Northern Ireland (1)297 
			 (1) Estimate. 
		
	
	The latest annual fuel poverty statistics report projects that the number of households in fuel poverty in England will remain around 3.5 million in 2011 and increase to 3.9 million in 2012. This information is available only for England.

Fuel Poverty

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the proportion of people (a) under and (b) over 65 years who are currently living in fuel poverty.

Gregory Barker: Fuel poverty is measured at household level, and fuel poverty among over 65s can be estimated by looking at households whose oldest member is over 65. In 2010, the latest year for which data are available, the proportion of households containing no one over 65 in England in fuel poverty was estimated to be 13%. The proportion of households where the oldest person was aged 65 or over estimated to be in fuel poverty in England was 26%.

Natural Gas: Exploration

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change if he will take into account in the formulation of his gas strategy the findings of (a) the review by the Royal Society and the Royal Academy of Engineering of hydraulic fracturing published on 29 June 2012, (b) the International Energy Agency report on shale gas published on 29 May 2012 and (c) Chapter two of the Committee on Climate Change’s 2012 progress report to Parliament published on 29 June 2012; and if he will make a statement.

Charles Hendry: The Gas Generation Strategy will be published in autumn 2012 looking at the role of gas in the UK electricity market. It will clearly need to do so with reference to the gas supply outlook. It will consider these reports among others.

Nuclear Power

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what advice his Department has commissioned from UK-based financial firms on the strike price for nuclear power; and what the total cost to the public purse was.

Charles Hendry: The Department plans to make use of advice from financial firms to inform its discussions with developers on enabling early investment decisions ahead of electricity market reform, and any subsequent decision on strike prices. Such advice is in the process of being commissioned and the costs will be published in due course in line with the Government's policy on publishing spending data.

Departmental Pay

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change how many staff of his Department received bonuses in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011.

Gregory Barker: holding answer 13 July 2012
	The Department of Energy and Climate Change currently awards both non-consolidated end-of-year performance awards and in-year special awards.
	The Department uses non-consolidated performance related payments to help drive high performance as they:
	encourage continuous high attainment because the payments are dependent upon continuing strong performance;
	prevent a permanent rise in salary and an increase in pension on the basis of one-off performances while still allowing good performance to be rewarded;
	have no long-term costs, in particular it does not increase future pension payments;
	focus the work of employees more directly on the priority goals of the organisation;
	motivate employees by linking an element of compensation to the achievement of objectives rather than offering payment for time served;
	target money at those who make the biggest contribution.
	End-of-year non-consolidated performance awards are used to reward the Department’s highest performers as assessed in their end of year appraisal reports.
	Non-consolidated in-year special awards are used to recognise performance or behaviours which might not be fully reflected in an end of year performance appraisal. These may be used to reward staff for exceptional pieces of work or taking on additional responsibilities.
	The number of staff who have received these awards in 2010 and 2011 is as follows:
	
		
			 January to December Number of staff 
			 2010 573 
			 2011 735

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change pursuant to the answers of 11 June 2012, Official Report, column 75W and 28 June 2012, Official Report, column 343W, on publications, how much his Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) consultation documents and (c) publications since May 2010.

Gregory Barker: With reference to my previous response on 11 June, a central record of the spend involved in publishing documents is not kept centrally and therefore would incur disproportionate cost to provide. The list of the documents referred to in my response of 28 June is available electronically but the cost of any hard copies produced is again not held centrally and would also incur disproportionate cost to provide.

Renewable Energy: Feed-in Tariffs

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change when he plans to undertake a revised impact assessment for the operation of a multi-party counterparty for Contracts for Difference.

Charles Hendry: The impact assessment published alongside the Energy White Paper and the modelling underpinning it are based on there being a credible counterparty that would ensure low risk.
	While we consider that the model proposed in the draft Bill provides that, I recognise the concerns that have been raised by industry and we have therefore been assessing the viability of alternative models, including those based on a single counter-party. Both models would be supported by a robust legal framework established by Government in legislation.
	Since both models are based on there being a credible counterparty, we do not consider that the impact assessment needs revision. An updated summary impact assessment reflecting revised assumptions and modelling enhancements, as noted in the summary impact assessment accompanying the draft Energy Bill, will be published alongside the Energy Bill on introduction.
	I await the outcome of the Energy and Climate Change Committee's pre-legislative scrutiny before making a decision on whether to make any changes in the Bill.

Windows: Energy

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the proportion of windows in the UK that are rated C or below for energy efficiency.

Gregory Barker: Information on the rating of windows is not collected by DECC. DECC uses the English housing survey and Scottish and Welsh equivalents to estimate the potential for energy efficient measures in the housing stock. The rating of windows is not collected in these surveys. Building regulations have required replacement glazing and glazing in newly built homes to be of at least C-rating since 2010.

Windows: Energy

Meg Munn: To ask the Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change what estimate he has made of the number of replacement windows that could be eligible for funding under the energy company obligation.

Gregory Barker: Any replacement window could be eligible for funding through the energy company obligation (ECO) providing it exceeds current building regulation standards, subject to the other rules of the ECO scheme, which will allow for their inclusion in certain circumstances.

CULTURE MEDIA AND SPORT

Football

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what recent meetings he has had with David Bernstein on the Culture, Media and Sport select committee's report on football governance, and the FA's response to that report.

Hugh Robertson: Neither the Secretary of State nor I have met formally with the football authorities to discuss football governance since they published their response.
	I am pleased that the football authorities have responded positively to the challenges set by the Government and the Culture, Media and Sport Select Committee, and have proposed improvements to the way the sport is governed. However, before we engage further, the Select Committee must conclude its deliberations and provide a formal response to these proposals.

Mobile Phones: Radio Frequencies

Gary Streeter: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he expects a decision to be made on the spectrum liberalisation request by Everything Everywhere.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom, the independent spectrum regulator, has undertaken a consultation on whether to permit a variation to Everything Everywhere’s licence at 1800 MHz to allow 4G services. This consultation closed on 8 May 2012. Ofcom have received a number of responses, including from the other mobile operators and these responses raise a number of detailed issues that Ofcom must now consider carefully before issuing a statement.

Mobile Phones: Radio Frequencies

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what steps his Department is taking to ensure that deployment of 4G/LTE mobile services takes place as soon as possible.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom are currently considering the responses received as a result of their recent consultation on the auction of spectrum suitable for 4G services, which closed on 22 March, and are expected to make a statement in the summer.
	Ofcom remain on schedule for the UK auction process to start by the end of 2012. This is compatible with the spectrum becoming available to allow successful bidders to start rolling out 4G services in these bands in 2013.
	Ofcom are also currently considering a request from Everything Everywhere to allow them to use their existing spectrum to roll-out out 4G services.

Mobile Phones: Radio Frequencies

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when Ofcom plans to respond to the proposal for liberalisation of the 1800 band to enable 4G services; and what assessment he has made of the likelihood of 4G services being available in the UK before the end of 2012.

Edward Vaizey: Ofcom has undertaken a consultation on whether to permit a variation to Everything Everywhere’s licence at 1800 MHz to allow 4G services. This consultation closed on 8 May 2012. Ofcom have received a number of responses, including from the other mobile operators, and these responses raise a number of detailed issues that Ofcom must now consider carefully before issuing a statement.
	I have made no assessment regarding how quickly after liberalisation Everything Everywhere could roll out 4G services.

Mobile Phones: Radio Frequencies

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the contribution to the economy of having 4G services widely available before the end of 2012.

Edward Vaizey: I have made no such assessment. Any consideration of the benefits to consumers of the introduction of 4G/LTE services, including liberalisation of 1800 MHz would normally fall to Ofcom. The benefits to consumers and the effect of a delay to liberalisation were considered in Ofcom’s March consultation on liberalising the 1800 MHz spectrum.

Odyssey Marine Exploration

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport how many times he has met representatives of Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc.

John Penrose: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport, my right hon. Friend the Member for South West Surrey (Mr Hunt), has had no meetings with representatives of Odyssey Marine Exploration.

Olympic Games 2012

Jonathan Evans: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what assessment he has made of the economic effect of the London 2012 Olympics on towns and cities outside London which are hosting events; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: The Department has not made a specific assessment of the economic effect of the London 2012 Games on host towns and cities outside of London. However, the Department has commissioned a meta-evaluation of the impacts and legacy of the London 2012 Games. The meta-evaluation will estimate the impact of the 2012 Games on GVA and employment in the nations and regions, and in London. The initial report will be published in the autumn and a further report in summer 2013. The Prime Minister recently announced that the Games are expected to bring £13 billion of benefits to the UK over the next four years via inward investment, which amounts to a strong economic legacy from the Games right across the UK.
	The whole of the UK stands to gain from the wide range of opportunities created by the Games. The new £130 million tourism campaign to showcase Great Britain in 2012 aims to deliver an additional 4.6 million visitors, £2.7 billion of extra spend and the creation of about 60,000 job opportunities across the UK. In addition, VisitEngland has launched a new domestic tourism campaign aimed at boosting tourism throughout the UK, maximising the economic legacy of the Games for the whole country and making the most of the Torch Relay and the Cultural Olympiad to showcase the whole nation. The campaign is expected to deliver £500 million in extra visitor spend over four years.
	The UK is already benefiting from the Games. To date, the ODA has directly awarded contracts worth £6 billion to over 1,500 suppliers, 50% of which are based outside London. Many more companies have won work within the supply chains.

Olympic Games 2012: Tickets

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many tickets for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics have been allocated to (a) Coca Cola, (b) Acer, (c) Atos, (d) Dow, (e) GE, (f) McDonalds, (g) Omega, (h) Panasonic, (i) P & G, (j) Samsung and (k) Visa; what restrictions are placed on these tickets; what the average price is of each ticket; for what sport each is; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many tickets for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics have been allocated to (a) Addidas, (b) BMW, (c) BP, (d) British Airways, (e) BT, (f) EDF and (g) Lloyds TSB; what restrictions are placed on these tickets; what the average price is of each ticket; for what sport each is; and if he will make a statement;
	(3)  how many tickets for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics have been (a) allocated to and (b) taken up by (i) worldwide Olympic partners, (ii) London 2012 Olympic partners and (iii) London 2012 providers and suppliers; what the retail value is of each ticket allocated; for what sport each is; what restrictions are placed on these tickets; and if he will make a statement;
	(4)  whether London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics tickets allocated to (a) worldwide Olympic partners, (b) London 2012 Olympic partners and (c) London 2012 providers and suppliers may be resold; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Ticketing is a matter for the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), which is a private company operating independently of Government. LOCOG must raise its revenues to stage the Games through sponsorship, ticketing, media rights and merchandise. A total of 11 million Olympic and Paralympic tickets are available for London's Games, of which 8% are allocated for purchase by sponsors and stakeholders (global and domestic). These are separate from the 75% of tickets available for the UK public. Tickets purchased by sponsors are across a range of prices and sports. They cannot be re-sold but are being used for a variety of purposes including promotions to the UK public, staff, community groups, and customers.

Olympic Games 2012: Tickets

David Amess: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport 
	(1)  how many tickets for the London 2012 Olympics and Paralympics are available; for what sports; what recent discussions he has had with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on distribution of these tickets; what response he received; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  what recent discussions he has had with the London Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games on the allocation of tickets to the London 2012 Olympics to (a) worldwide Olympic partners, (b) London 2012 Olympic partners and (c) London 2012 providers and suppliers; and if he will make a statement.

Hugh Robertson: Ticketing is a matter for the London 2012 Organising Committee (LOCOG), which is a private company operating independently of Government. A total of 11 million Olympic and Paralympic tickets are available for London's games. Ministers at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport regularly hold discussions with representatives of LOCOG about various London 2012 matters including ticketing. LOCOG has promised to provide a comprehensive break-down of ticket distribution after sales have been completed. Until all the tickets have been sold it would be misleading to provide incomplete information that would be instantly out-of-date.

Royal Archives

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport when he last visited the Royal Archives in an official capacity; and if he will make a statement.

Edward Vaizey: The Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport has not visited the Royal Archives in an official capacity.

Telephone Services: Unsolicited Goods and Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport what (a) investigations his Department has undertaken into and (b) discussions he has had on cold-calling and unwanted sales calls to households.

Edward Vaizey: The Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) provides protection for consumers from receiving unwanted telephone marketing calls by enabling them to register their number with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), which is a free service. Consumers are also protected under PECR if they have previously advised the caller that they do not wish to receive such calls. The PECR regulations are not enforced by the Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS), but by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO), which is independent from Government. The ICO has powers to take formal action against those who wilfully or negligently continue to make calls despite having been informed of their obligations not to do so and can issue a fine of up to £500,000 for the most serious breaches.
	I have met with Office of Communications (Ofcom), TPS and the ICO, to see how consumers can be better protected and what improvements can be made. DCMS is also seeking views on how the current consumer protections can be improved as part of the Communications Review.

Telephone Services: Unsolicited Goods and Services

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Olympics, Media and Sport whether he has any plans to introduce further protection for the public from unwanted telephone marketing calls.

Edward Vaizey: Under the Privacy and Electronic Communications Regulations 2003 (PECR) consumers are protected from receiving unwanted telephone marketing calls by registering their number with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS), which is a free service, or if they have previously advised the caller that they do not wish to receive such calls. Companies within the UK, or from outside the UK on behalf of UK companies, are required not to call a number that is registered with the TPS.
	The Department for Culture Media and Sport (DCMS) is currently exploring possible improvements to the TPS with key stakeholders including the Office of Communications (Ofcom), TPS and the Information Commissioners Office (ICO), which will help to ensure that the protections provided under PECR remain effectively implemented. DCMS is also seeking views on how the current consumer protections can be improved as part of the Communications Review.

ATTORNEY-GENERAL

Steroid Drugs: Prosecutions

Jo Swinson: To ask the Attorney-General how many prosecutions there have been under the Misuse of Drugs Regulations for supplying anabolic steroids in each of the last 10 years.

Edward Garnier: For the last seven complete financial years for which CPS offence data are held, the following number of prosecutions and charges for supplying anabolic steroids were as follows:
	
		
			  Number of prosecutions Number of offences charged 
			 2005-06 1 1 
			 2006-07 1 1 
			 2007-08 1 1 
			 2008-09 0 0 
			 2009-10 0 0 
			 2010-11 2 6 
			 2011-12 0 0

PRIME MINISTER

G8

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Prime Minister pursuant to the answer of 11 July 2012, Official Report, column 274W, on G8, if he will ensure that the agenda for the UK presidency of the G8 Summit in 2013 will include consideration of development, trade and security concerns in Africa.

David Cameron: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave to him on 11 July 2012, Official Report, column 247W.

United Nations: European Union

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Prime Minister which representatives of the business sector he has met to discuss the UN's relationship with the EU.

David Cameron: I and officials have meetings with a wide range of organisations and individuals on a range of subjects. I refer the hon. Member to the list of my official meetings with external organisations. This is available on the Cabinet Office website:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/resource-library/ministerial-gifts-hospitality-travel-and-meetings-external-organisations

LEADER OF THE HOUSE

LIBOR

Roberta Blackman-Woods: To ask the Leader of the House if he will make it his policy that the Parliamentary Commission on Banking Standards should examine the effect of LIBOR manipulation on the sale of interest rate swap products to small and medium-size enterprises.

George Young: The House resolved on 16 July to establish a Parliamentary Commission for Banking Standards, and its terms of reference were included within that resolution.

NORTHERN IRELAND

Assisted Areas

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with (a) the Minister for Finance in the Northern Ireland Executive, (b) the Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment in the Northern Ireland Executive, (c) the Chancellor of the Exchequer and (d) the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on the future of Northern Ireland's assisted area status;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the effect on the Northern Ireland economy of the proposal to remove automatic assisted area status in 2014.

Owen Paterson: I have discussed these matters with both the Chancellor of the Exchequer, my right hon. Friend the Member for Tatton (Mr Osborne) and the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable). The Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire) has held discussions on this issue with both the Northern Ireland Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment and the Minister of State, Department for Business, Innovation and Skills, my hon. Friend the Member for Hertford and Stortford (Mr Prisk).
	I have stressed the need to take account of factors particular to Northern Ireland in taking forward proposals to draw up the new UK assisted areas map for 2014-20. We are seeking to ensure that assisted area status is focused on the areas of greatest need where it can make the greatest impact on promoting economic development across the UK.

Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency

Alasdair McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Transport on the effects on Northern Ireland of the proposal to centralise the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in 2013.

Owen Paterson: I discussed this matter with the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), on 10 July following a meeting I had with the Northern Ireland Minister of the Environment the previous day.

Parades Commission

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what representations he has made to the Parades Commission on July 2012 parades and protests against them.

Owen Paterson: The Parades Commission is an independent body. I have therefore not made any representations.

Publications

Jonathan Ashworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2012, Official Report, column 539W, on publications, how much his Department has spent on (a) circulars, (b) consultation documents and (c) publications since May 2010.

Owen Paterson: The majority of circulars, consultation documents and publications produced by my Department are issued via the internet. Some publications may incur a cost, though the expense of obtaining this information at this stage would be disproportionate.

Ulster Bank

Vernon Coaker: To ask the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland what the outcome was of his discussions with Sir Philip Hampton on 9 July 2012 on resolving the problems at Ulster Bank; and if he will make a statement.

Owen Paterson: I refer the hon. Member to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for South Down (Ms Ritchie), on 9 July 2012, Official Report, columns 21-22W, which reports on the discussions of the Minister of State, Northern Ireland Office, my right hon. Friend the Member for East Devon (Mr Swire), with the chief executive of RBS and the continued efforts the bank has undertaken to make in order to overcome the difficulties suffered by its customers.

ENVIRONMENT FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

A3

Damian Hinds: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs when she expects to (a) complete and (b) publish results from the 2012 round of noise mapping for the A3 in East Hampshire.

Richard Benyon: The 2012 round of road traffic noise mapping is being undertaken as one integrated task for the whole of England. Consequently, it is not possible to say precisely when the noise mapping for the A3 in East Hampshire will be completed. We anticipate publishing the results next summer, once the various outputs have been assimilated and the quality assurance processes completed.

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what the (a) names and (b) qualifications are of the inspectors involved in her Department's research on the use of wild animals in circuses.

James Paice: DEFRA has not and does not plan to commission research on the use of wild animals in circuses. We accept the findings of the 2007 Radford Report, including the conclusion that, due to the relatively small number of animals involved, the results of any further research would not be sufficiently meaningful or robust enough to better inform the debate.

Cattle: Mastitis

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs 
	(1)  what assessment her Department has made of the effect of mastitis in cow herds;
	(2)  what advice her Department is providing to farmers on tackling mastitis in cow herds.

James Paice: Mastitis is the most common disease of dairy cows and involuntary culling due to mastitis is a major cost to the dairy industry, as was highlighted in the Farm Animal Welfare Council's 2009 Opinion on the Welfare of the Dairy Cow.
	The dairy industry has established the Cattle Health and Welfare Group, which includes representatives from DEFRA and the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA). The Group has four key priorities, one of which is the dairy cow welfare strategy which was launched in August 2010 with support of the whole dairy supply chain. The strategy is aiming to improve recognition, treatment, prevention and control of mastitis and expand the excellent work of DairyCo and its Mastitis Control Initiative to reduce levels of mastitis. The strategy's first progress report published in September last year reported the incidence rate of cows affected by clinical mastitis (expressed as the proportion of cows affected) reduced by 7.8% over the 12 months to June 2011. The AHVLA provides a diagnostic service for diseases, including mastitis and maintains a database of submissions and diagnosis as part of its surveillance remit. A summary of its analysis is published annually.
	DEFRA's cattle welfare code provides farmers with good husbandry advice based on best practice and includes guidance on mastitis. Over a number of years ADAS, on behalf of DEFRA, has provided comprehensive welfare advice through a variety of media for farmers around the country to encourage good welfare, in an effort to reduce the incidence of mastitis in cow herds. The programme has included advice on ‘Reducing injuries to Dairy Cows', ‘Milking Management and the Mastitis Management Action Plan' and more recently ‘Breeding Dairy cows for Longevity'.

Farmers: Graduates

Huw Irranca-Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what advice her Department provides to graduates on employment in the farming sector.

James Paice: Advice on employment is industry led and DEFRA is supportive of the industry in its work to promote the opportunities available. Lantra, the sector skills council for agriculture that is awarded its funding from the UK Commission for Employment and Skills (UKCES), provides information and advice to graduates on employment in the farming sector.

Food: Labelling

Mark Lancaster: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what plans she has to change the rules on (a) use by, (b) best before and (c) sell by dates on packaged food.

James Paice: The Food Labelling Regulations in the UK only cover requirements for the two legally required forms of date mark: ‘use by'; and ‘best before'. Other forms of date mark, including the 'sell by' date, can be provided by businesses on a voluntary basis so long as they are not misleading.
	DEFRA issued guidance on the application of date marking to food businesses in September 2011 to help them improve the consistency of the use of the ‘best before' and ‘use by' date marks to prevent food being needlessly thrown away. There are no current plans to change either the legislation or the guidance.

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Teresa Pearce: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what assessment she has made of the impact of each of the four options proposed in her Department's consultation on greenhouse gas emissions in terms of (a) the cost of compliance, (b) the emissions saved, (c) the wider benefits of emissions reporting and (d) the expected contribution to the UK's emission reduction targets.

Richard Benyon: holding answer 9 July 2012
	The final Impact Assessment of options for company greenhouse gas (GHG) reporting, which is available on DEFRA's website, shows cost of compliance, emissions saved, and financial savings from reduced fuel use for the four options. This information is presented in the following table. The range of GHG emissions savings provides an indication of the expected contribution of each policy option to the UK's emission reduction targets over the next 10 years:
	
		
			  Cost of compliance over next 10 years (£ million) GHG emissions saved in the UK over next 10 years Financial savings over next 10 years (£ million) 
			 Voluntary reporting 6.3 Up to 0.6MtCO2e Up to 58 
			 Quoted companies 28 Up to 4.8MtCO2e Up to 460 
			 Large companies 903 Up to 13.8MtCO2e Up to 1,017 
			 Energy use criteria 145 Up to 4.2MtCO2e Up to 383 
		
	
	In addition, the value of air quality savings are quantified in the Impact Assessment.
	The wider benefits that have not been monetised in the Impact Assessment are: process emissions, other transport emissions, intangible benefits, reputation and branding benefits, and reduced investment risk. (Section 9 of the Impact Assessment gives further details.) In addition, the costs and benefits associated with reporting international emissions have not been included in the headline estimates in the Impact Assessment. This is because of the larger uncertainties around measuring these impacts; however a range of these potential international impacts has been included in Section 10 of the Impact Assessment.

Waste

Andrew Rosindell: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what steps she is taking to reduce waste within her Department.

Richard Benyon: Core DEFRA strives to reduce waste within the Department, including both operational inefficiency and the waste generated by operations and procurement:
	Operational efficiency:
	DEFRA's Business Plan for 2012 to 2015(1) outlines the actions the Department is taking to improve operational efficiency, including measures to reduce spend on estates, procurement, HR, IT and corporate services.
	A summary of DEFRA's financial performance in 2010-11 will be included in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts, which was laid before Parliament on 12 July 2012. This will shortly be available in the House Library.
	Generated waste:
	New commitments for greening Government operations and procurement(2) were published in February 2011, including pan-Government targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, waste and water use by 2015.
	Core DEFRA has implemented a number of initiatives to reduce waste generation and increase recycling. For example, core DEFRA has achieved a 23% reduction in paper use in 2011-12, in part through changes to printing facilities. Core DEFRA's IT contractors reuse or recycle 98% of our redundant IT equipment.
	An overview of performance on sustainability in 2010-11 will be included in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts. DEFRA will also contribute to a pan- Government report on performance in 2011-12 against the Greening Government Commitments. This is due to be published in November.
	(1)( )http://www.number10.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/05/DEFRA -2012-Business-Plan.pdf
	(2 )http://sd.defra.gov.uk/gov/green-government/commitments

Waste: Exports

David Mowat: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs what (a) volume and (b) proportion of waste that would be otherwise have gone to landfill was exported in each of the last five years.

Richard Benyon: Under the UK Plan for Shipments of Waste, exports of waste for disposal, which includes landfill, are prohibited with very few exceptions. Therefore, waste that is only fit for landfill cannot be exported. No exports for landfill are recorded.

Animal Welfare: Circuses

Naomi Long: To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs whether her Department differentiates between performing and non-performing wild animals travelling with circuses in its proposals for a ban on wild animals in circuses and for interim regulations.

James Paice: The Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012 were laid before Parliament on 12 July. The Regulations cover any wild animal which is kept or introduced in a travelling circus whether for the purpose of performance, display or otherwise. Our proposals for an ethics based ban on the use of wild animals in travelling circuses will require primary legislation. We expect to publish draft legislation for pre-legislative scrutiny later this session. It will ultimately be for Parliament to determine which wild animals will be covered by the ban.

WALES

Lost Working Days

David Ruffley: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales what the average number of working days lost per person was in her Department in each of the last three years.

David Jones: The numbers of average working days lost (AWDL) due to sickness absence is shown in the following table:
	
		
			  AWDL 
			 2009 (1)— 
			 2010 4.9 
			 2011 7.1 
			 (1) Wales Office figures formed part of the Ministry of Justice figures at this time. However, a local report shows that the AWDL as at 31 March 2010 was 5.11.

Personal Income

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 4 July 2012, Official Report, columns 650-1W, on taxation, what assessment she has made of the net effect of changes to taxation and benefits on an average family in Wales.

Cheryl Gillan: HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs make assessments of this nature.
	As noted in my response to the hon. Gentlemen on 6 July 2012, Official Report, column 863W, the HM Revenue and Customs assessment of the impact of Budget 2012 measures on individuals and households can be found online at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/budget2012/ootlar.htm

Police

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Wales pursuant to the answer of 3 July 2012, Official Report, columns 531-2W, on police, and with reference to the report by HM Inspectorate of Constabulary, “Policing in Austerity: one year on”, what assessment she has made of the likely trends in the number of frontline officers in the next three years.

Cheryl Gillan: Individual forces and police authorities determine where best to deploy their resources taking into account the challenges they face and the benefits to be gained. The effectiveness of a police force depends, not on overall numbers, but on how it deploys its resources. HMIC's latest report makes clear the frontline of policing is being protected overall and service to the public has largely been maintained.

SCOTLAND

Maritime and Coastguard Agency

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland what progress has been made on identifying a long-term solution for provision of Maritime and Coastguard Agency duties around the Western Isles and West Highlands, including work between operators, vessel owners and the Maritime and Coastguard Agency on working practices and protocols covering the arrangements.

David Mundell: Following the recent Government decision to provide renewed funding for a single emergency towing vessel to operate around the waters of Northern Scotland, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) has procured a suitable vessel, the Herakles, which has arrived on station.
	The Herakles will commence operations shortly and will undertake directed operations under the MCA's control, within a designated area covering both the Northern and Western Isles.
	The Government are continuing to explore options with the oil and gas industry to secure a commercial call-out arrangement, using an industry vessel, for the Northern Isles. I remain grateful to the efforts of the companies participating in this work and to Oil and Gas UK for their facilitation.

Work Experience

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland how many interns work in his Department's press office.

David Mundell: No interns work in the Scotland Office's press office. However, the Office currently has one intern on the Civil Service Fast Stream Summer Diversity Internship programme.

HOUSE OF COMMONS COMMISSION

Members: ICT

Alun Cairns: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, whether a business impact level assessment was conducted before iPads were provided to hon. Members.

John Thurso: Assessments of the business use, and ICT security, aspects of iPad deployment were conducted before iPads were provided to hon. Members.
	The Administration Committee agreed to pilot the use of iPads in the summer of 2011 and conclusions were drawn in January 2012. The Administration Committee found the use of iPads and electronic papers beneficial to the Committee's working. In addition to the pilot, a security assessment of the use of iPads was undertaken with external expert advice. The conclusion was that with the configuration and software deployed by Parliament iPads were safe to use for standard parliamentary material.
	The Commission's decision to loan iPads to Members in specific circumstances was taken in the context of a wider strategic desire to enhance significantly the range and quality of digital information on parliamentary proceedings and to provide these services to Members and the public more efficiently. In doing so, the Commission is responding to a well-established trend that has seen demand upon the House Administration for digital services increase dramatically in recent years, and especially since the 2010 election. The Print to Web Strand of the Savings Programme has demonstrated that exploiting and stimulating further the shift in Members' and others' preferences towards electronic provision of information can result in both aims being achieved simultaneously.
	Work is under way to improve the electronic presentation of information, starting with the House's key business papers, such as the Order Paper and Select Committee evidence, to make it easier to find, search and use on the internet and on mobile devices. Those select committees that opt for paperless working will have their papers delivered smartly to their iPads, reducing expenditure on reprographics and contributing to environmental objectives. At the same time, the Commission is conscious that iPads may open up new and more effective ways of working for Members and for the House service in other areas. It has therefore requested examination of the potential to deliver a wider range of information and services to Members through iPads where to do so will achieve further improvements in service quality and reductions in administrative expenditure. The Commission will review the outcomes of this investigation later this year.

Switchboard Staff: Relocation

Kate Hoey: To ask the hon. Member for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, representing the House of Commons Commission, 
	(1)  what estimate the Commission has made of the risks involved in the move of switchboard staff to a centre in Southampton; and what steps are being taken to mitigate them;
	(2)  what consideration the Commission has given to longstanding contracted-out staff in Parliament being moved out of London;
	(3)  what discussions the Commission has had with Capita on their plans to relocate the longstanding switchboard staff to Southampton.

John Thurso: The Operator Bureau is an outsourced service. Following a procurement exercise, a new third party service provider took over the contract and the existing staff in May 2012 from the previous contracted supplier. The Commission cannot comment on the future location of the Operator Bureau since this is subject to consultation between the supplier and its staff; however, the procurement process explored the issues that relocating the service might present, including matters relating to security, IT systems, and service continuity, and the Commission is satisfied that the proposals that have been made are low risk given the approach that is being taken.
	The management of the staff concerned is a matter for the third party service provider. The Commission has been reassured by the provider that the staff will be formally consulted on any changes that are made and that they will be supported throughout. The House authorities hold regular meetings with the service provider to review the contract and its management. This includes plans for the future and the management and support offered to their staff.

WOMEN AND EQUALITIES

Females: Victim Support Schemes

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Minister for Women and Equalities what discussions she has had with the (a) Ministers in the Home Department, (b) the Secretary of State for Justice and (c) the Secretary of State for Health on the adoption of national minimum standards for the commissioning of services for women survivors of violence.

Lynne Featherstone: No discussions have taken place between myself and the (a) Ministers in the Home Department, (b) the Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, the right hon. and learned Member for Rushcliffe (Mr Clarke), and (c) the Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), in relation to the adoption of national minimum standards for the commissioning of services for women survivors of violence.
	In response to the Ministry of Justice “Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses” consultation, only certain victim services will be nationally commissioned, this will include Rape Support Centres. Following their election, the commissioning of victim support services will be devolved to Police and Crime Commissioners who will be best placed to determine the commissioning of services for all victims in accordance with local needs.

TRANSPORT

Airports: Transport

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate she has made of the number of passengers from overseas transiting via (a) Heathrow, (b) Gatwick and (c) Stansted whose destination is another airport within the UK; and to which airports such passengers travel.

Theresa Villiers: Estimated number of passengers from overseas transferring via Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted whose destination is another airport in the UK in 2011 is given in the following table. The estimates are based upon the Civil Aviation Authority's passenger survey; sample sizes from this survey are too small to show to which airports such passengers travel subsequently travel to.
	
		
			  Passengers from overseas transferring at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted whose destination is another airport in the UK, 2011 (thousand) 
			 Heathrow 2,487 
			 Gatwick 836 
			 Stansted 104

Aviation

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what steps she is taking to develop cross-departmental consensus on the development of the aviation industry;
	(2)  what discussions her Department has had with industry on the development of aviation policy.

Theresa Villiers: On 12 July, the Department for Transport published a draft Aviation Policy Framework which sets out the importance of aviation to the UK economy and the Government's proposals on how aviation can support economic growth while meeting its noise and climate change obligations. We intend to adopt the final Aviation Policy Framework in spring 2013.
	We have worked closely with colleagues in other Government Departments and with a wide range of stakeholders, including the aviation industry in developing this draft Framework and we will continue to do so.

Aviation

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 July 2012, on Aviation Policy Framework, which projects are in receipt of the £1.4 billion investment in rail and road schemes referred to; and what the projected direct or indirect benefit is on each airport.

Theresa Villiers: The details of the road and rail investment schemes referred to in the written ministerial statement of 12 July 2012, Official Report, column 59WS, by the Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), are listed in the following table. Schemes are expected to improve the passenger experience of travelling to the relevant airports either through journey time savings or upgraded services. Those schemes offering direct benefits to airports are also expected to improve connectivity with towns and/or business centres; thereby offering economic benefits.
	
		
			 Road and rail investments referred to in 12 July WMS 
			 Scheme Airport Direct/indirect benefit Actual or estimated cost/investment (in £000s) 
			 Gatwick electric trains Gatwick Indirect (1)53,000 
			 M3 J2 to J4a Managed Motorway Heathrow Indirect 250,000 
			 Luton-Dunstable Busway rapid transit scheme Luton Direct 80,300 
		
	
	
		
			 Gateway link road construction to enhance links between Sheffield and airport Robin Hood Direct 18,000 
			 A45 Corridor improvement to enable runway extension Birmingham. Direct 15,700 
			 M1 J19/M6 Improvement Birmingham Indirect 229,000 
			 M4 J19 to J20 and M5 J15 to J17 Managed Motorway Bristol Indirect 89,000 
			 A556 Knutsford to Bowdon Improvement Manchester Indirect 175,000 
			 M62 J18 to J20 Managed Motorway Manchester Indirect 103,500 
			 A453 widening East Midlands Indirect 168,000 
			 M62 J25 to J30 Managed Motorway Leeds Bradford Indirect 150,000 
			 M5 J29 Improvement Exeter Indirect 10,427 
			 Norwich Northern Distributor Road Norwich Direct 86,500 
			     
			 Total investment   1,428,427 
			 (1) 8,000 provided by Gatwick Airport.

Aviation

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons proposals to liberalise the UK aviation market to encourage foreign airlines to develop new routes by permitting foreign airlines to pick up passengers when flying to other destinations only apply to Gatwick and Stansted.

Theresa Villiers: There has been a long standing policy presumption in favour of open fifth freedom rights for all of the UK outside of South East England. In the draft Aviation Policy Framework we are consulting on a proposal to extend that liberal policy to Gatwick, Luton and Stansted airports—that is, to all UK airports with the exception of Heathrow. The relevant section of the draft Aviation Policy Framework is paragraphs 2.45 to 2.48:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/consultations/dft-2012-35
	We are also considering whether further liberalisation, going beyond fifth freedom rights might be suitable for airports outside the South East.

Aviation

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what the smaller planes are in respect of which her forthcoming proposals will seek to restrict access at the busiest airports; and from which airports such flights most frequently originate.

Theresa Villiers: The type of smaller aircraft and extent to which their access might be restricted at our busiest airports is ultimately a matter for the relevant airport operator, who would need to work with their stakeholders to implement any such proposals.
	As stated in our draft Aviation Policy Framework, the Government supports in principle any reasonable, non-discriminatory steps that airport operators may wish to take to limit access to smaller aircraft to make the best use of existing capacity, where appropriate.
	All responses to the consultation on aviation policy will be considered on this proposal, along with the other ideas in the draft framework.

bmibaby: Redundancy

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has had discussions with her Ministerial colleagues on the position of pilots who will be made redundant by the closure of the airline bmibaby.

Theresa Villiers: The Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Putney (Justine Greening), has not had discussions with ministerial colleagues about potential pilot redundancies as a result of the closure of bmibaby Ltd. While any staff redundancies are regrettable, these are commercial matters for bmibaby's new owner International Airlines Group and British Airways to consider in consultation with staff and the relevant trade unions.

Driving: Licensing

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many people in the UK held a full driving licence at the age of 17 years in the period (a) 1980-89, (b) 1990-99, (c) 2000-09 and (d) 2010 to date.

Michael Penning: According to data held by the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) there were 68,852 people aged 17 who held a full driving licence in Great Britain as at 1 June 2012. This is approximately 9% of the estimated total population aged 17. Data are not held centrally for the UK as a whole, as driver licensing is administered separately in Northern Ireland.
	Comparable historical data are not available from this source. However, the National Travel Survey shows the proportion of licence holders by age group from the mid-1970s until 2010. Figures are available in table NTS0201 at the following link:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/statistics/tables/nts0201/

Ex Gratia Payments

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what estimate her Department has made of the monetary value of ex-gratia payments made through schemes administered by her Department in the last two years.

Norman Baker: To the best of my knowledge, the Department for Transport has made no such payments since May 2012.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many applications to the Exceptional Hardship Scheme have been (a) accepted by the Exceptional Hardship Scheme Panel but upon review rejected by her or a Minister acting on her behalf and (b) rejected by the panel but upon review been accepted by her or a Minister acting on her behalf.

Justine Greening: holding answer 13 June 2012
	The information requested is as follows:
	(a) One application to the Exceptional Hardship Scheme was recommended for acceptance by the panel but subsequently refused by the Secretary of State for Transport or a Minister acting on her behalf.
	(b) Three applications to the Exceptional Hardship Scheme were recommended for refusal by the panel but subsequently accepted by the Secretary of State for Transport or a Minister acting on her behalf.

High Speed 2 Railway Line

Andrea Leadsom: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what additional expenditure has been allocated to enable her Department to purchase property along the High Speed Rail 2 preferred line route; and if she will make a statement.

Justine Greening: holding answer 9 July 2012
	I refer my hon. Friend to Table 12 of the ‘Economic Case for HS2: Updated appraisal of transport user benefits and wider economic benefits, at the following link:
	http://assets.dft.gov.uk/publications/hs2-economic-case-appraisal-update/hs2-economic-case-appraisal-update.pdf

HS2 Ltd

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff have been employed at HS2 Ltd in each month since its creation. [Official Report, 24 October 2012, Vol. 551, c. 5MC.]

Justine Greening: holding answer 24 May 2012
	From the time HS2 was established until my decision to proceed with High Speed Rail in January 2012, HS2 Ltd staff comprised a mix of direct employees, secondees from DFT and Network Rail and temporary staff. Following the announcement, a development partner, CH2M Hill, was appointed. Its staff (86) were integrated into the HS2 organisation structure between March and May and are included in the following numbers. Further recruitment has been undertaken, and is continuing, to provide HS2 Ltd with the capability to deliver its extended remit. In addition, HS2 is now moving to secure permanent appointments into roles and reduce to a minimum its need for temporary staff.
	
		
			 Month ending Number of staff 
			 2010  
			 April 34 
			 May 40 
			 June 43 
			 July 46 
			 August 46 
			 September 56 
			 October 61 
			 November 60 
			 December 61 
			   
			 2011  
			 January 60 
			 February 70 
			 March 78 
			 April 80 
			 May 80 
			 June 80 
			 July 80 
			 August 81 
			 September 86 
		
	
	
		
			 October 87 
			 November 90 
			 December 92 
			   
			 2012  
			 January 100 
			 February 103 
			 March 171 
			 April 210 
			 May 226

HS2 Ltd

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff at HS2 Ltd are employed to work on the (a) Project Board, (b) Officers Working Group, (c) Consultation/Working Group, (d) Environmental Working Group, (e) Economic Business Case Working Group and (f) Legal Challenge Group; and how many are projected to be employed in each group in each year to 2015.

Justine Greening: holding answer 24 May 2012
	Staff are employed to work in specific roles within HS2 Ltd, but not within the working group categories as outlined in the question.
	With reference to how many are projected to be employed in each group in each year up to 2015, HS2 Ltd's overall budget has been established for the years in question. However, since we do not group staff within the categories described in the question, we are not able to say at this time precisely how many people will be deployed on these activities.

HS2 Ltd

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  how many additional staff HS2 Ltd is projected to hire in each year until 2015;
	(2)  how many staff at HS2 Ltd have salaries of (a) £20,000 to £30,000, (b) 30,001 to £40,000, (c) £40,001 to £50,000, (d) £50,001 to £60,000, (e) £60,001 to £70,000, (f) £70,001 to £80,000, (g) £80,001 to £90,000, (h) £90,001 to £100,000 and (i) £100,001 and above; and how many staff are projected to be in each salary band in each year up to 2015.

Justine Greening: holding answer 24 May 2012
	HS2 Ltd expects to hire up to an additional 105 staff before end March 2013. Although the overall budget for the programme has been established, the precise details of how many staff will be required in each year up to 2015 have not yet been set and will to some extent depend upon progress of the project.
	
		
			 Salary bands Number of staff current 
			 £20,000 to £30,000 26 
			 £30,000 to £40,000 15 
			 £40,000 to £50,000 17 
			 £50,000 to £60,000 9 
			 £60,000 to £70,000 4 
			 £70,000 to £80,000 0 
			 £80,000 to £90,000 1 
			 £90,000 to £100,000 0 
			 £100,000+ 1 
			 Total 73 
		
	
	The above data include direct employees of HS2 Ltd. Data exclude 86 staff contracted through CH2M Hill, 10 Network Rail secondees and 35 temporary staff paid by agencies. For these staff members we are charged a rate which includes other employment costs and we do not hold individual salary information which would allow us to place staff in the above salary bands. Data also exclude 22 DFT secondees.

Network Rail

Maria Eagle: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  with reference to her Department's White Paper, Reforming our Railways: Putting the Customer First, whether she has agreed with Network Rail that it will appoint her preferred candidate as a public interest director on its Remuneration Committee;
	(2)  what representations she has made to the board of Network Rail on remuneration for executives;
	(3)  what process she has agreed with Network Rail to ensure her Department's input into the selection of Network Rail's Public Interest Director;
	(4)  whether (a) she, (b) Ministers in her Department, (c) special advisers in her Department and (d) officials in her Department plan to attend Network Rail's Annual General Meeting;
	(5)  what meetings (a) she, (b) Ministers in her Department and (c) officials in her Department have had with Network Rail to discuss bonus payments since February 2012.

Justine Greening: holding answer 9 July 2012
	Ministers and officials meet Network Rail regularly to discuss a wide range of operational and strategic issues.
	Executive remuneration remains a matter for Network Rail, as a private sector, not-for-dividend Company limited by guarantee. Earlier this year I made my views on the subject clear when I said that the proposed reforms to Network Rail's incentive plan were unacceptable, and that taxpayers and farepayers would expect reward to be proportionate and to reflect performance.
	Network Rail subsequently announced its plans to improve its corporate governance, including the appointment of a public interest director to articulate taxpayers’ interests in board discussions. The individual will need to demonstrate specific skills and interests in public policy, finance and corporate and social responsibility. The Company has already advertised for the post, and will involve all members, collectively, in the appointment process.
	Proposals for the reform of Network Rail's Management Incentive Plan will be taken forward in the autumn, under the new governance structure and with the involvement of the public interest director. As in the past, since Network Rail's creation in 2002, no Minister plans to attend the AGM.

Railways: Freight

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what discussions she has had with the Office of Rail Regulation on proposed changes to the level of charges to freight companies for transporting coal by rail.

Theresa Villiers: The track access charges levied on rail freight operators in the next railway funding Control Period from 2014 to 2019 are matters for the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), which is the independent economic and safety regulator for the railways in Great Britain. Some elements of these charges are the subject of a current ORR consultation on the variable usage charge and a freight specific charge. This consultation can be found on ORR's website at
	http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk

Railways: Freight

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what charges were levied on the rail transportation of coal used for electricity generation in each year since 1997.

Theresa Villiers: Information relating to the track access charges paid by rail freight operators for the transportation of coal for the electricity supply industry since 1997 is a matter for Network Rail as the owner and operator of the national rail network, overseen by the rail regulator.
	Network Rail's chief executive can be contacted at the following address for a response to this question:
	David Higgins
	Chief Executive
	Network Rail
	Kings Place
	90 York Way
	London, N1 9AG.

Railways: Freight

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has made an assessment of the effect of an increase in the charges levied on freight transported by rail on (a) road congestion, (b) safety and (c) pollution.

Theresa Villiers: No, the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR) has responsibility for regulating track access charges on the UK rail network.
	The ORR has assessed the effects on a number of variables including demand for rail freight services that could result from a rise in track access charges for freight transported by rail. This is set out in its consultation document on the variable usage charge and a freight specific charge which can be found on ORR's website at
	http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk

Railways: Freight

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the Office of Rail Regulation's 13th Periodic Review, what environmental impact assessments she has made of proposals to increase rail freight charges; and if she will assess the extent to which such proposals fit with the Government's broader goals on the environment, growth and competitiveness.

Theresa Villiers: The Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), which is the independent economic and safety regulator for the railways in Great Britain, has assessed the effects on a number of variables that could result from a rise in track access charges for freight transported by rail in a consultation document on the variable usage charge and a freight specific charge. This can be found on the ORR's website at:
	http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk

Railways: Freight

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the Office of Rail Regulation’s 13th Periodic Review, what assessment she has made of the effect on the competitiveness of UK industry of rail freight charges.

Theresa Villiers: The track access charges levied on rail freight operators in the next railway funding control period from 2014 to 2019 are matters for the Office of Rail Regulation (ORR), which is the independent economic and safety regulator for the railways in Great Britain.
	Some elements of these charges are the subject of a current ORR consultation on the variable usage charge and a freight specific charge which can be found on the ORR’s website at:
	http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk

Railways: Scotland

Brian H Donohoe: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport what progress has been made on improving train journey times from (a) London to Edinburgh and Glasgow and (b) Edinburgh and Glasgow to Inverness.

Norman Baker: Recent infrastructure improvements have enabled East Coast to achieve a 4-hour timing between Edinburgh and London, and Virgin West Coast a 4h 08m timing on the Euston to Glasgow route. A new timetable for East Coast train services introduced in May 2011 provided a new standard interval timetable with additional services to and from Edinburgh, and a small improvement in average journey times. Further incremental improvements in journey times are expected in the next few years when IEP trains are introduced on the East Coast and through further timetabling initiatives on West Coast.
	On 16th July, the Secretary of State announced the High Level Output Specification (HLOS) for the railway. This provides £240m for improvements to the East Coast Main Line to increase capacity and reduce journey times, and the industry will publish, through Network Rail, a Strategic Business Plan in due course responding to the HLOS and setting out initial ideas for this and many other HLOS requirements.
	Train services between Edinburgh/Glasgow and Inverness are the responsibility of Transport Scotland.

Road Traffic Control

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport by what method traffic density was recorded; and what the average traffic density was in the period (a) 1980-89, (b) 1990-99, (c) 2000-09 and (d) 2010 to date.

Michael Penning: The Department for Transport does not produce and publish traffic density statistics.
	Although figures for traffic density (eg traffic volume per lane mile) are not calculated, DFT does publish annual estimates of total traffic volume. These figures are measured in vehicle miles and show the total distance travelled by vehicles on the roads of Great Britain each year.
	The latest estimates for 2011 were published on 28 June and showed that over the past year, total traffic volume was broadly stable. Traffic volumes are over 10 times higher than in 1949, although over the last 20 years there has been a decline in the rate of traffic growth. Motor vehicle traffic grew by 50% during the 1980s, by 14% during the 1990s and by 6% between 2000 and 2009. Motor vehicle traffic peaked in 2007 following which it fell for three consecutive years the first consecutive annual falls since traffic records began.
	To calculate traffic density figures we would have to divide the total volume of traffic in Great Britain by the total length of all lanes on the road network. Although DFT does publish statistics on total length of the road network each year, this does not include information on total lane length. Therefore, it is not possible to calculate figures for traffic density.

Roads: Accidents

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport whether she has made an assessment of any correlation between levels of maintenance on road infrastructure and road casualties.

Michael Penning: The Department has not carried out any formal analysis into the correlation between levels of maintenance on road infrastructure and road casualties.
	However, the Department does collect information on contributory factors for reported personal injury road accidents attended by a police officer at the scene of the accident. The contributory factors for road environment has a specific factor for “Poor or defective road surface”. The following table provides the relevant trend since 2007 for Great Britain:
	
		
			 Contributory factor in reported personal injury accidents(1): GB 2007-11 
			  Contributory factor Fatal Serious Slight All 
			 2007 Poor or defective road surface 22 153 707 882 
			  Total number of accidents with contributory factors 2,538 21,346 116,477 140,361 
			  As a percentage of all accidents with contributory factor 0.9 0.7 0.6 0.6 
			       
			 2008 Poor or defective road surface 6 157 733 896 
			  Total number of accidents with contributory factors 2,170 20,429 108,993 131,592 
			  As a percentage of all accidents with contributory factor 0.3 0.8 0.7 ¦ 0.7 
			       
			 2009 Poor or defective road surface 15 197 613 825 
			  Total number of accidents with contributory factors 1,935 19,566 106,684 128,185 
			  As a percentage of all accidents with contributory factor 0.8 1.0 0.6 0.6 
			       
			 2010 Poor or defective road surface 19 191 671 881 
			  Total number of accidents with contributory factors 1,620 18,043 101,164 120,827 
		
	
	
		
			  As a percentage of all accidents with contributory factor 1.2 1.1 0.7 0.7 
			       
			 2011 Poor or defective road surface 10 196 650 856 
			  Total number of accidents with contributory factors 1,663 18,391 98,349 118,403 
			  As a percentage of all accidents with contributory factor 0.6 1.1 0.7 0.7 
			 (1) Includes only accidents where a police officer attended the scene and in which a contributory factor was reported. 
		
	
	It is particularly notable that there were two separate periods of sustained snow and ice across many areas of Great Britain during 2010 (one at the beginning of the year, one at the end) which may have led to a deterioration of road surfaces. This may explain the higher proportion of accidents during that year for which “poor or defective road surface” was a contributory factor.
	The Department for Transport provided £200 million in March 2011 to repair damage on the highway caused by the 2010 winter and is providing further £3 billion over four years to 2014-15 to local highway authorities in England for roads for which they are responsible.

Rail Freight

Anne Main: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport with reference to the answer of 26 March 2012, Official Report, column 947W, on rail freight, whether the Minister of State has had any other private or social meetings with (a) Simon Hoare and (b) any representatives of Helioslough before or after her meeting of 10 August 2011 with Simon Hoare.

Theresa Villiers: I refer to my answers of 30 April 2012, Official Report, columns 1270-1W and 1269-70W.

South East Airports Taskforce

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what assessment she has made of the costs to date of servicing the South East Airports Taskforce;
	(2)  how the South East Airports Taskforce was (a) constituted and (b) funded.

Theresa Villiers: The South East Airports Taskforce was announced by written ministerial statement by the then Secretary of State for Transport, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) on 15 June 2010, Official Report, column 48WS, to explore measures to help make the most of existing infrastructure and improve conditions for all users at Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted airports. The taskforce, which I chaired as Aviation Minister, included representation from each of the main London airports, long-haul and short-haul carriers and the no-frills operators, and business, passenger and environmental interests.
	The Department for Transport organised and hosted Taskforce meetings and the only expenditure incurred by my Department was £119,568 paid to the CAA for analytical work undertaken to look at ways in which to improve punctuality, resilience and delay at these airports. The taskforce was disbanded on publication of its conclusions in July 2011.
	The terms of reference for the taskforce, membership, meeting minutes and conclusions can be found on the Department for Transport's website at the following web address:
	http://www.dft.gov.uk/publications/south-east-airports-taskforce

Southeastern Railways

John Stanley: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  what the amount of (a) subsidy paid to and (b) franchise premium sought from the holders of the new Southeastern franchise planned to commence on 1 April 2014 will be in each year of the new franchise;
	(2)  when she intends to make public the amount of (a) subsidy paid to and (b) franchise premium sought from the holder of the new Southeastern franchise planned to commence on 1 April 2014 in each year of the new franchise.

Theresa Villiers: The new southeastern contract is expected to be signed in December 2013. The amount of subsidy paid or premium sought is not known at this stage of the re-letting process.

Public Sector Staff

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport how many staff of her Department were in the civil service redeployment pool on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of these had been in the redeployment pool for more than six months at that date.

Norman Baker: Within the central Department and its seven executive agencies there are currently 21 staff who are in the redeployment pools (staff whose jobs ended and are now seeking alternative roles). Of those 21, 7 have been in the redeployment pool for more than six months and 14 have been in the redeployment pool for less than six months. These figures are accurate as at 13 July 2012.
	The Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) declared 1213 members of staff surplus on 4th July and are currently going through the process of determining how many of these staff will be seeking redeployment.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport 
	(1)  whether she plans to announce the decision on financial close for the Thameslink rolling stock contract in a ministerial statement to Parliament;
	(2)  whether she plans to announce the decision on financial close for the Thameslink rolling stock contract before 17 July 2012.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 13 July 2012
	The Department expects to conclude negotiations and award the Thameslink rolling stock contract during the summer. A written ministerial statement will be made to Parliament once a decision is made.

Thameslink Railway Line: Rolling Stock

Chris Williamson: To ask the Secretary of State for Transport for what reasons the signing of the Thameslink rolling stock contract has been delayed.

Theresa Villiers: holding answer 13 July 2012
	The Thameslink rolling stock contract is a large and complex transaction. The Department expects to conclude the core project agreements with Siemens and Cross London Trains shortly. Cross London Trains and their lending banks also need to conclude the financing documentation required to secure the necessary equity and debt funding for the project. The Department expects to award the Thameslink rolling stock contract during the summer.

JUSTICE

Cemeteries

Lyn Brown: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how his Department assesses demand for burial space in burial grounds.

Jonathan Djanogly: A survey of burial grounds conducted in 2005 concluded that there would be a median remaining lifetime of 30 years (i.e. until 2035) for existing burial grounds if current levels of demand continue.
	The issue of burial space is routinely discussed at bi-annual meetings of the Burial and Cremation Advisory Group, which is chaired by the Ministry of Justice.

Community Orders

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many people were given a community sentence with a condition of being electronically tagged in Wales and England in 2011.

Crispin Blunt: In 2011, 63,164 new electronically monitored supervision orders were started as part of a community sentence in England and Wales.

Coroners

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps his Department has taken to ensure that, in inquest procedures, the wishes of families of deceased who would, on religious grounds, choose (a) non-invasive autopsy procedures and (b) burial as soon as possible are respected.

Jonathan Djanogly: Less invasive post-mortem examinations are permitted under coroner legislation. The legislation also allows coroners to issue certificates to allow removal of the body from the jurisdiction to facilitate burial abroad where this is desired for religious reasons. The Charter for Coroner Services, issued by the Ministry of Justice in March 2012, states that coroners should take account of families' religious and community requirements during the inquest process where this is compatible with the coroner's statutory duties.

Data Protection: EU Action

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice in each year since EU Council Framework Decision 2008/977/JHA came into force, how many data subjects in the UK have (a) requested the rectification, erasure or blocking of their personal data under Article 4 of the Decision and (b) received compensation for an unlawful processing operation under Article 19 of the Decision.

Kenneth Clarke: I am answering this question as data protection and the application of EU Council Framework Decision 2008/977/JHA are Ministry of Justice issues.
	The information asked for, in parts (a) and (b), are held neither by the Ministry of Justice nor the Home Office centrally. Furthermore, the information is not held individually within the bodies covered by the scope of Framework Decision 2008/977/JHA.

Employment Tribunals Service

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice with reference to the answer of 29 February 2012, Official Report, columns 369-70W, on the Employment Tribunals Service, how many (a) single claims, (b) multiple claims and (c) multiple claim cases (i) were accepted by employment tribunals in 2011-12 and (ii) are awaiting determination by an employment tribunal.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Ministry of Justice publishes information, both quarterly and annually, on the workloads before tribunals administered by Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service. This information includes statistics on the receipts, disposals and outstanding (or ‘live') caseload in the employment tribunals system. Statistics are available online at:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/tribunals
	In the financial year 2011-12, employment tribunals received 186,300 new claims. Of those new claim receipts, 59,200 were ‘singles' and 127,100 were ‘multiples'. The multiple claims were grouped into 4,300 actions, or ‘multiple claim cases'.
	At the end of the financial year 2011-12, the employment tribunals had a live caseload of 540,800 claims. That total was made up of 26,500 singles claims (a fall of 7% from the end of the previous financial year) and 514,300 multiples claims, the large majority of which were stayed pending appellate decisions or otherwise unready for final hearing. Information on the total number of outstanding multiple claims cases is not yet available. I will write to the hon. Member with the information as soon as my officials can provide it.

Fines: Surcharges

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what assessment he has made of the likelihood of recovering the proposed new victims surcharge penalty from offenders who are sentenced to immediate custody; and what additional penalty there will be for non-payment of that surcharge for those who are given prison sentences.

Crispin Blunt: It is right that offenders subject to immediate custody should be expected to take responsibility for their crimes and contribute to the costs of repairing the harm done to victims. We will put in place mechanisms to enable the surcharge to be collected from offenders in prison and ensure effective enforcement of the imposition upon release.
	At the moment we do not envisage imposing additional penalties on those offenders who fail to pay the surcharge.

Human Trafficking: Victim Support Schemes

Mark Pawsey: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what the (a) nationality and (b) gender was of each suspected victim of trafficking referred to the Trafficking Victim Support Scheme operated by the Salvation Army in June 2012; in which region each of the suspected victims was found; and which agency referred each case to the scheme.

Crispin Blunt: In June 2012 there were 46 referrals to the Government-funded support service for adult victims of human trafficking in England and Wales administered by the Salvation Army. Details are as follows:
	
		
			 Nationality Gender Region Referring agency 
			 Albanian Female South East UKBA 
			 Albanian Female Yorkshire UKBA 
			 Albanian Female Yorkshire UKBA 
			 Albanian Female Yorkshire UKBA 
			 Bangladeshi Female West Midlands UKBA 
			 Bulgarian Female South East Social services 
			 Bulgarian Male South East Social services 
			 Czech Female West Midlands Police 
			 Czech Female West Midlands Police 
			 Czech Female South East Police 
			 Czech Female South East Police 
			 Czech Male South East NGO 
			 Eritrean Female Yorkshire UKBA 
			 Gambian Female South East NGO 
			 Ghanaian Female South East UKBA 
			 Hungarian Male South East Police 
			 Indian Male West Midlands Legal representative 
			 Malian Female South East Legal representative 
			 Moldavian Female South East Self-referral 
			 Moldavian Female South East Local authority 
			 Nigerian Male South Fast Legal representative 
			 Nigerian Female Wales NGO 
			 Nigerian Female South East UKBA 
			 Nigerian Female South East Legal representative 
			 Nigerian Female South East NGO 
			 Nigerian Female South East NGO 
			 Nigerian Female Yorkshire UKBA 
			 Nigerian Female Yorkshire UKBA 
			 Polish Male Wales GLA 
			 Polish Male Wales GLA 
			 Polish Male Wales GLA 
			 Polish Female Wales GLA 
			 Polish Male West Midlands NGO 
			 Polish Male West Midlands NGO 
			 Polish Male Yorkshire NGO 
			 Polish Male South East NGO 
			 Romanian Female South East Police 
			 Romanian Female South East Police 
			 Slovakian Male Not known Not known 
			 Slovakian Male West Midlands NGO 
			 UK Female South East UKHTC 
			 UK Male North West NGO 
			 US Male Yorkshire UKBA 
			 Zambian Female South East NGO 
			 Not known Female West Midlands Prison service 
			 Not known Female West Midlands UKBA

Immigration Advisory Service

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice what steps he plans to take to ensure that files formerly held by the Immigration Advisory Service are retained for use by their clients.

Jonathan Djanogly: The Immigration Advisory Service was placed into administration on 8 July 2011. Following the orderly transfer of legal aid clients to new providers by the Legal Services Commission, the court ordered that the administrators allow three months for former clients of IAS to make requests for their archived files. This opportunity closed on 28 May 2012 and any remaining files are expected to be securely destroyed.

Legal Aid Scheme

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice 
	(1)  how much was paid in legal aid to defendants with assets held under restraint in each of the last three financial years;
	(2)  what the names are of all convicted offenders from whom the Legal Services Commission is seeking to recover legal aid payments of £100,000 or more; and how much was paid to each offender.

Jonathan Djanogly: The information requested is not readily available: it involves matching data in different formats from several current and legacy legal aid schemes from which the information could be extracted only at disproportionate cost.

Life Imprisonment

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many life-sentence prisoners in Wales and England have been continuously in custody since 1977; and how many of those are on a full-life tariff.

Crispin Blunt: Based on those offenders in prison at the end of March 2012, the number of life sentence prisoners recorded as being in custody continuously since 1977 is 58. Of these, two are serving a whole life tariff.
	This does not include those transferred under mental health legislation from prison to secure hospitals.

Prisoners’ Release

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 19 June 2012, Official Report, column 918W, on prisoners’ release, what estimate he has made of the proportion of offenders who were sentenced to (a) two weeks, (b) four weeks, (c) three months and (d) six months who served the minimum amount of time in prison.

Crispin Blunt: Prisoners will generally serve the minimum amount of time in prison that was indicated in the previous reply; ie half the length of sentence, less any period of release under the Home Detention Curfew Scheme (HDC). Those serving less than three months are ineligible for HDC so those serving two and four weeks will all generally be released after serving half of the sentence. Data on the release of prisoners under the Home Detention Curfew scheme are published on a quarterly and annual basis, and are available at the following link:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/prisons-and-probation/oms-quarterly
	The data show that, in 2011, a total of 12,727 prisoners were released on HDC. This is a 30% release rate; ie 30% of those serving between three months and just less than four years (the HDC eligibility range, although many in this range will be ineligible or presumed unsuitable for HDC by nature of offence). We estimate that, of those released on HDC, (including those serving three and six months) around 30% are likely to have been released at the earliest possible date; i.e. their HDC eligibility date, and will, therefore, have served the minimum period in prison available to them. The rest of the prisoners in this range will have served at least the minimum period in prison available to them and were released between their HDC eligibility date and the halfway point in their sentence.
	As noted in the previous answer, the minimum period in prison in an individual case may be reduced by any relevant tagged bail time directed to count by the court. The Department does not hold data on the incidence of tagged bail being directed to count by the court.

Prisoners: Females

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many female inmates were reprimanded in respect of offences involving the use of drugs in prison in (a) 2010 and (b) 2011; and if he will make a statement.

Crispin Blunt: Adjudication procedures deal with offences against discipline alleged to have been committed by prisoners, and contribute to maintaining order and control, and a safe environment within prisons.
	Since 2010 we have no longer been able to identify drug offences separately. However, the number of proven offences for ‘unauthorised transaction/possession’ committed by females in prison and dealt with under the prison adjudication process in 2010 and 2011 were 1,198 and 1,175 respectively. These may also include possession of other unauthorised items, for example a mobile phone. These figures count the number of offences, not the number of individuals. One prisoner may be responsible for more than one offence.
	This information is published in the annual tables of the Offender Management Statistics. The publication is available free of charge on the Ministry of Justice website via this link:
	http://www.justice.gov.uk/statistics/prisons-and-probation/oms-quarterly
	These figures have been drawn from administrative IT systems which, as with any large scale recording system, are subject to possible errors with data entry and processing.

Prostitution: Greater London

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many cautions were issued to sex workers in each London borough during the last 12 months.

Crispin Blunt: Statistical information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice from the Police National Computer on cautions issued in England and Wales does not identify all the specific circumstances of each case. It is not possible to identify the specific activities behind each offence.
	The number of offenders cautioned for selected prostitution related offences in Greater London, in 2011, can be viewed in the following table.
	Cautions data are not available at borough level.
	
		
			 Offenders cautioned(1, 2 )for selected prostitution related offences(3), Greater London(4), 2011(5) 
			 Greater London(4) Number 
			 Prostitution offences 130 
			 (1) The cautions statistics relate to persons for whom these offences were the principal offences for which they were dealt with. When an offender has been cautioned for two or more offences at the same time the principal offence is the more serious offence. (2) From 1 June 2000 the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 came into force nationally and removed the use of cautions for persons under 18 and replaced them with reprimands and warnings. These figures have been included in the totals. (3) Offences include: Causing or inciting prostitution—Sexual Offences Act 2003 s52 Keeping a brothel for prostitution—Sexual Offences Act 1956 33a Keeping a brothel—Sexual Offences Act 1956 s33 Placing of advertisement relating to prostitution—Criminal Justice and Police Act 2001 s46 Person persistently loitering or soliciting for the purposes of prostitution—Street Offences Act 1959 s1 (4) Includes the Metropolitan and City of London police force areas. (5) Every effort is made to ensure that the figures presented are accurate and complete. However, it is important to note that these data have been extracted from large administrative data systems generated by the courts and police forces. As a consequence, care should be taken to ensure data collection processes and their inevitable limitations are taken into account when those data are used. Source: Justice Statistics Analytical Services—Ministry of Justice.

Sentencing: Females

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice how many women were sentenced to imprisonment for making false allegations about rape or sexual assault in each of the last three years.

Crispin Blunt: Persons accused of making a false accusation that a criminal offence has been committed may be proceeded against under a number of offences, including perverting the course of justice, wasting police time and perjury.
	Statistical information held centrally by the Ministry of Justice on the Court Proceedings Database for England and Wales does not identify the circumstances of each offence. Therefore it is not possible to separately identify those cases resulting in court proceedings that have arisen solely from persons making false accusations.

Unpaid Fines

John Glen: To ask the Secretary of State for Justice pursuant to the answer of 15 May 2012, Official Report, column 88W, on unpaid fines, what the total balance is of outstanding financial penalties which are not being collected by instalments or by deduction from benefits, and for which additional time to pay has not been given by the court, in England and Wales for the latest period for which figures are available.

Jonathan Djanogly: At the end of March 2012 the total amount of outstanding financial penalties was £593,270,718
	(1)
	. Her Majesty's Courts and Tribunals Service (HMCTS) cannot disaggregate this total to provide the information requested. The outstanding balance quoted is made up of financial penalties which include those not yet due, currently being paid in instalments such as deduction from benefits or by an attachment of earnings, or are in arrears.
	The Government takes the issue of fine enforcement very seriously and HMCTS is working to ensure that clamping down on fine dodgers is a continued priority nationwide.
	Source:
	Libra Local Standard Reports as at end of March 2012

COMMUNITIES AND LOCAL GOVERNMENT

Council Housing: Construction

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many council houses were built in each local authority in each year since 1997.

Andrew Stunell: Data on house building can be found on the Department for Communities and Local Government website:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/housebuilding/livetables/
	Live table 253 gives house building by tenure, including the local authority tenure, for each local authority district for each financial year since 1998-99.

Families: Disadvantaged

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what evidence informed the connection in the Government's Troubled Families programme between crime and anti-social behaviour and families with at least five of the seven characteristics.

Bob Neill: I refer the hon. Member to my answers of 18 June 2012, Official Report, column 685W; of 21 June 2012, Official Report, column 1116W; and of 3 July 2012, Official Report, column 615W.

Families: Disadvantaged

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what research informed the Government’s estimate that there are 120,000 troubled families; what sample size the figure was based on; and when the research was conducted.

Bob Neill: The estimate that there were likely to be 120,000 troubled families in England was based on indicative numbers in previous Government research. The analysis was updated in 2011. The survey was based on interviews with nearly 7,000 families.
	In December 2011, all upper-tier local authorities were provided with figures on the indicative number of troubled families in their area. All local authorities accepted these figures for their own area, which, in aggregate, confirmed a 120,000 figure.
	The “Troubled Families Financial Framework”, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House, outlines the process for councils to draw up the list of families who will be part of the programme.

Free Schools: Planning Permission

Nick de Bois: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will take steps to prevent local authorities requiring payments under section 106 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 from new free school developments; and if he will make a statement.

Greg Clark: The Government is committed to ensuring free schools are able to set up quickly. The National Planning Policy Framework published on 27 March 2012 makes it clear that local planning authorities should give great weight to the need to create, expand or alter schools. Local planning authorities must ensure that any section 106 planning obligations meet three statutory tests—that they are necessary to make the development acceptable in planning terms, directly related to the development, and fairly and reasonably related in scale and kind to the development.

Homelessness

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what guidance his Department has issued to local authorities on the provision of services to households which are designated intentionally homeless; what provision is made for emergency accommodation for households which are classified as intentionally homeless; how many households classified as intentionally homeless in each of the last three years included children; how many households classified as intentionally homeless were provided with emergency accommodation in each of the last three years; how many such households were accommodated for more than (a) 28 and (b) 60 days; how many households in each local authority area were classified as intentionally homeless in each of the last three years; how many households in temporary accommodation were classified as intentionally homeless in each of the last three years; and how many of the households in temporary accommodation were classified as intentionally homeless on the latest date for which figures are available.

Grant Shapps: This Department issued the Homelessness Code of Guidance for Local Authorities in July 2006, which outlines those duties owed to intentionally homeless households and explains those circumstances in which emergency accommodation for these households can be used. In May 2008 this Department and the Department for Education produced joint guidance, ‘Joint working between Housing and Children's Services: Preventing homelessness and tackling its effects on children and young people’, which focused on children of families who have been, or are at risk of being, found intentionally homeless by a housing authority.
	The Department does not collect information on the numbers of households classified as intentionally homeless that: (i) include children; (ii) were provided with emergency accommodation; or (iii) had been accommodated for longer than a particular period.
	The Department does, however, collect figures the number of households applying for assistance under the provisions of the 1996 Housing Act that were found to be ‘eligible, homeless and in priority need, but intentionally so’. Figures for each local authority area are available on the Department's website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/livetables/
	in Table 784 (for financial years 2004-05 to 2011-12) and 784a (separately for all four quarters of 2011-12).
	The Department also collects figures—as at the end of each quarter—on the number of households that were intentionally homeless and were being accommodated by a local authority for a reasonable period. England totals for the end of each quarter from March 2002 are set out in the following table:
	
		
			 Households that were intentionally homeless and in temporary accommodation—England 
			 As at end: March June September December 
			 2002 750 660 800 730 
			 2003 830 1,090 1,120 1,230 
			 2004 1,180 1,340 1,340 1,430 
			 2005 1,420 1,370 1,460 1,400 
			 2006 1,340 1,460 1,130 1,230 
			 2007 1,370 1,120 980 1,050 
			 2008 810 820 1,000 590 
			 2009 840 720 600 590 
			 2010 690 620 610 720 
			 2011 670 660 840 710 
			 2012 740 (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 (1) Not yet available Note: Numbers of households are rounded to nearest 10. Source: Quarterly PIE returns 
		
	
	The coalition Government is committed to tackling homelessness. We are investing £400 million in homelessness prevention over four years (2011-12 to 2014-15). On top of that we provided an additional £70 million last year to help local agencies prevent and tackle homelessness. Homelessness is half the average rate that it was under the previous Administration and remains lower than in 28 of the last 30 years.
	The additional £70 million comprises the following:
	£20 million—Homelessness Transition Fund to support the roll-out of ‘No Second Night Out’ and protect vital front line services.
	£20 million—Preventing Repossessions funding to enable local authorities intervene earlier and help people stay in their homes.
	£20 million—Single Homelessness Prevention funding to help ensure single homeless people get access to good housing advice.
	£5 million boost to the Homelessness Change Programme (bringing the total investment to £42.5 million) to deliver improved hostel provision and provide over 1,500 new and improved bed spaces.
	£5 million—Social Impact Bond—using a payment by results model to help persistent rough sleepers in London. This is the first Social Impact Bond set up to tackle homelessness in the world.

Homelessness

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government whether he has made a recent assessment of the number of (a) homeless people and (b) rough sleepers in (i) Coventry, (ii) the west midlands and (iii) England.

Grant Shapps: holding answer 11 July 2012
	Statistical releases showing the most recent statutory homelessness figures are published on the DCLG website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/publicationshomelessness/
	Figures for each local authority area are available on the Department’s website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/housing/housingresearch/housingstatistics/housingstatisticsby/homelessnessstatistics/livetables/
	in table 784 (for financial year 2004-05 to 2011-12) and 784a (separately for all four quarters of 2011-12).
	The most recent statistics on rough sleeping (autumn 2011) can be found on the Department’s website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/documents/statistics/xls/20936651.xls
	We secured an additional £70 million last year to help local agencies prevent and tackle homelessness and rough sleeping. This is on top of the £400 million we are investing for homelessness prevention over four years (2011-12 to 2014-15).
	We have also acted decisively to introduce a more accurate assessment of rough sleeping levels so that there is clear information in all areas, to inform service provision and action to address the problem. The previous Government’s approach to assessing rough sleeping did not capture the full extent of the problem across the country.

Housing: Bedfordshire

Nadine Dorries: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will estimate the number of homes that have obtained planning permission but have not yet been built in Mid Bedfordshire constituency.

Greg Clark: The information requested is not available.

Parks: Standards

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government for what reason the advert for the licence to deliver the Green Flag Award Scheme has yet to be published; if he will extend the scheme for a further year to enable the necessary consultation and tender process to be undertaken; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Stunell: The Department is fully supportive of the Green Flag Award—the national benchmark for quality public green spaces—and wishes to see it sustained beyond the end of the current contract. Work continues and details of the licence offer will be made as soon as possible in order to ensure that it is still possible to achieve a positive outcome this year without detriment to the scheme.

Public Sector Pay

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government how many staff working for his Department, its executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies are employed through off-payroll engagements costing less than £58,200 per annum; and if he will make a statement.

Bob Neill: Details of staff employed by the Department of Communities and Local Government, its Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies through off-payroll engagements costing more than £58,200 per annum were published on 23 May 2012, and can be found on the Department's website at:
	http://www.communities.gov.uk/newsstories/newsroom/2149952
	This includes staff for whom the cost if employed for a full year would be more than £58,200, but where the actual cost is or may be less than £58,200.
	Details of staff employed by DCLG's Executive agencies and non-departmental bodies is not held centrally, and the additional information requested on staff employed through off-payroll engagements costing less than £58,200 per annum can be obtained only at disproportionate cost. Information has therefore been obtained for DCLG and its Executive agencies only.
	As of 31 May 2012, there were 11 such staff employed by DCLG—one by the Fire Service College and 10 by the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre. In addition, the Planning Inspectorate had 93 non-salaried inspectors paid on a case-by-case basis to provide additional capacity to determine planning appeals where required.
	In relation to the Planning Inspectorate, these long-standing arrangements for non-salaried inspectors have been agreed with HM Revenue and Customs, and appropriate checks are in place to prevent any conflict of interest with outside work. Such arrangements reduce costs for the taxpayer and allows the Inspectorate to handle better workload volume as well as seasonal peaks and troughs in demand.
	As far as I am aware, there is no suggestion that there are any inappropriate tax avoidance arrangements by these specialist contractors.

Planning Permission

George Galloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government if he will consider introducing a special planning licence for bookmakers and other betting establishments to give local authorities the power to refuse or modify applications in order to achieve a varied mix of shops and businesses.

Bob Neill: Local authorities already have a range of powers available to tackle any localised problems. These can be used to target specific areas where the cumulative impact of betting shops is becoming unacceptable.
	Taken together with powers under the Gambling Act to tackle individual premises, councils have a powerful set of tools with which to address any problems where they arise.
	Notwithstanding that, the Government has recently published a consultation paper on planning, which asks whether there is a case for making further changes to the broader change of use regime. Hon. Members may wish to make a representation to the consultation.

Social Rented Housing

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government what assistance his Department is providing to those unable to meet their financial commitments as a result of rising rent and service charges; and what steps he is taking to prevent housing associations raising such costs.

Grant Shapps: Any tenants facing difficulties in meeting the cost of their rent or service charges should discuss this with their landlord. The regulatory framework requires registered providers to develop and provide services that will support tenants to maintain their tenancy and prevent unnecessary evictions.
	Tenants on low incomes are also supported by the housing benefit system, depending on individual circumstance. As well as talking to their landlords, tenants should also discuss what support is available with their local authority.

HOME DEPARTMENT

101 Calls

Alun Cairns: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the cost was of the 101 non-emergency number in each of the last three years; how much income has been drawn from calls to the number in each year; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 13 July 2012
	In 2010-11 and 2011-12 the cost to the Government of developing the 101 police non-emergency number was approximately £900,000 and £950,000 respectively. In 2011-12, the Government extended the service to cover all forces in England and Wales under a renegotiated contract, with police forces now funding the ongoing running costs from their budgets. There is no central funding for 101 in 2012-13.
	Police forces and government receive no income from calls to 101. The 15 pence flat rate charge for each 101 call goes directly to the telephony company to cover the cost of carrying the calls.

Absenteeism

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the absenteeism rate was in her Department in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: The following table shows absenteeism rates for sickness absence for the Home Office for the last three financial years.
	
		
			 Percentage absenteeism rates for sick absence—Home Department (including executive agencies) 
			 Financial year Percentage average working days lost(3) Number of staff employed during the period(3) 
			 2009-10 3.91 26,547 
			 2010-11(1) 3.48 29,224 
			 2011-12(2) 3.50 26,939 
			 (1) Work force changes in 2010-11: 4,603 (full-time equivalent (FTE)) HM Revenue and Customs detection staff joined United Kingdom Border Agency (UKBA) on 1 April 2010 in a machinery of government change. (2) Work force changes in 2011-2012: 88 (FTE) Government Equalities Office employees transferred to Home Office headquarters on 1 April 2011 in a machinery of government change. 7,466 (FTE) Border Force staff moved from UKBA to Home Office Headquarters on 1 March 2012 in an internal restructure. 42 (FTE) National Fraud Authority (NFA) employees transferred to the Home Office on 1 April 2011 when NFA became an executive agency of the Department in a Machinery of Government change. (3) Figures calculated using HR information provided to Permanent Secretaries Management Group. The number of staff employed during the period includes current employees at the end of each financial year as well as 12 months leaver employees during the year. Extractdate: 1 April of each year (Figures based on period from 1 April to 31 March in each year). Source: Data View for 31 March 2010/11/12 Methodology: Figures include all paid civil servants (current employees and those who left during the financial year).

Association of Chief Police Officers

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what total amount of funding was provided by her Department to the Association of Chief Police Officers in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12; and what estimate she has made of such funding for 2012-13.

Nick Herbert: The information requested is provided in the following table. (projected)
	
		
			 Table 1: Home Office funding allocations to ACPO for 2009-10 to 2011-12 
			 £ 
			 Funding area Details 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 2012-13(1) 
			 Grant-in-Aid funding To meet the costs of the ACPO president and ACPO HQ central administration/office costs 836,232 823,688 792,770 562,000 
			 Supplementary Grant-in-Aid funding One-off payment to help meet shortfall in funding from Police Authorities — — 250,000 — 
			       
			 UK Disaster Victim Identification To provide national expertise and support on the identification of victims in the event of mass fatality incidents 673,565 540,950 458,000 474,000 
			 National Domestic Extremism Team1 To provide intelligence on domestic extremism and strategic public order issues in the UK 2,000,000 — — — 
			 Conferences and seconded officers fees for UKBA Payment for strategic advice to UKBA 19,300 — — — 
			 ACPO-Terrorism and Allied Matters payments to ACPO HQ:      
			 Co-ordination of Counter-Terrorism policing Funds the national co-ordination functions: the National Co-ordinator of Special Branch, media liaison work, Counter-Terrorism training needs analysis and the police contribution to the Border Management programme 7,960,600 — — — 
		
	
	
		
			 Prevent Prevent Channel project-a multi-agency approach to protecting people from the risk of radicalisation 2,427,750 — — — 
			 Prevent Provision of Prevent Engagement Officers who connect Counter-Terrorism policing, neighbourhood policing and communities 3,867,990 — — — 
			 Prisoner Intelligence Network Provides strategic and tactical functions on matters relating to the intelligence, security, activity and location of all terrorist and extremist prisoners across England, Wales and Scotland 4,267,000 — — — 
			 Policing the Olympics Co-ordinating work -provided directly to ACPO 414,923 380,888 557,958 376,010 
			 Contribution to the Police National Intelligence Coordination Centre (PNICC) Funding to PNICC for Olympic -related work — 113,551 471,653 392,010 
			 TOTAL  22,476,360 1,859,077 2,530,381 1,804,079 
			 (1) Projected

Asylum

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many cases are being dealt with by the Case Assurances and Audit Unit.

Damian Green: On 15 May 2012, Rob Whiteman reported to the Home Affairs Select Committee that as of 31 March 2012 the following cases remained with the Case Assurances and Audit Unit (CAAU):
	21,000 live asylum legacy cases
	80,000 asylum legacy cases in the controlled archive
	21,500 migration cases in the controlled archive
	The Home Affairs Select Committee will be provided with updated figures shortly.

Asylum

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the longest period of time an application for asylum which is currently outstanding has taken to process.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 July 2012
	Asylum applications that pre-date the creation of the electronic Case Information Database in 2001 were subsequently added to that database and assigned default application dates. It is therefore not possible to determine the age of the oldest of these cases without undertaking a manual check of each individual case file which would incur disproportionate cost.

Asylum

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average period of time taken to process applications made for asylum was in the last two years.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 July 2012
	This information is not held in a format compatible with National Statistics protocols.
	However, published statistics regarding asylum applications and decisions on a quarterly and annual basis are available in table ‘as.01.q.’ at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-tabs-q1-2012/asylum1-q1-2012-tabs?view=Binary

Asylum

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many outstanding applications for asylum are being processed by her Department.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 July 2012
	At the end of March 2012, 11,454 applications were awaiting an initial decision or the outcome of an appeal or further review. This figure is for applications received by main applicants since April 2006.
	The number of asylum applications pending is published on a quarterly basis. Latest figures are available in Table ‘as.01.q’ of the release ‘Immigration Statistics, January to March 2012’, which is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science website at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q1-2012/

Civil Disorder

Philip Hollobone: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps she has taken in respect of the law on face coverings since the public disorder of August 2011. [R]

Nick Herbert: holding answer 6 July 2012
	Following the 2011 disorder, the Government launched a public consultation into extending police powers, including in respect of face coverings. We are considering the results of the consultation and will be issuing a response in due course.

Closed Curcuit Television

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will assess the efficacy of Facewatch ID technology for circulating CCTV stills to the public to enable them to assist the police in locating persons of interest and possible witnesses to crimes; and what plans she has to roll such technology out to all police forces.

Nick Herbert: To date a small number of police forces have adopted Facewatch in a number of locations, including the Metropolitan Police Service. Ministers and Home Office officials have witnessed the system in operation and the Association of Chief Police Officers and the National Police Improvement Agency are working together to establish a shared national view of its effectiveness, with a view to providing advice to all forces on the potential benefits.

Convictions: Nottinghamshire

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many and what proportion of the crimes (a) reported to the police and (b) identified by the British crime survey in (i) Ashfield constituency and (ii) Nottinghamshire in (A) 2008 and (B) each year since 2008 resulted in a conviction.

Nick Herbert: The information requested is not available. The Home Office is unable to track from centrally held records individual offences through to their conclusion at court.
	This includes offences recorded by the police and those identified by the Crime Survey for England and Wales (CSEW, previously the British crime survey).
	The police.uk website compiled by the National Policing Improvement Agency contains information on the number and types of offences at street level, and for some crimes it includes the outcome of these offences. These data are available from January 2012, but are not Official Statistics and are considered a developmental dataset at this time.

Detention Centres

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have been arrested and held in immigration detention when or immediately after reporting at local police stations or reporting centres in (a) Oxford East constituency, (b) Oxfordshire, (c) the South East and (d) the UK in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency does not hold data centrally on the number of individuals arrested and held in immigration detention when or immediately after reporting at local police stations or reporting centres.

Detention Centres

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many individuals have been arrested and held in immigration detention after being stopped and searched in (a) Oxford East constituency, (b) Oxfordshire, (c) the South East and (d) the UK in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency does not hold data centrally on the number of individuals arrested and held in immigration detention after being stopped and searched.

Draft Communications Data Bill

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what plans she has to publish draft orders under Clause 1 of the draft Communications Data Bill for use by the Committee on the draft Bill.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 13 July 2012
	As I informed the House in response to the hon. Member’s question on 9 July 2012, Official Report, column 6, we are working closely with the Joint Committee on the draft Communications Data Bill, in order to ensure that they can conduct robust scrutiny of the Bill. We will keep this issue under review as the legislative process develops.

Draft Communications Data Bill

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on how many occasions (a) she, (b) Ministers in her Department, (c) the Director-General, Security and Counter-Terrorism and (d) other officials in her Department have met (i) Google, (ii) Facebook and (iii) Skype to discuss the draft Communications Data Bill; and on what dates.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 13 July 2012
	Home Office Ministers and officials have meetings with a wide variety of partners, including organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors, as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Effective engagement with industry is central to this. We have regular discussions with a number of companies. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings. Revealing exactly which companies have been involved in discussions can reveal and compromise the operational capabilities that we develop in partnership with the industry.

Drugs: Misuse

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her most recent estimate is of the size of the illicit drug market in the UK.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The most recent estimate by the Home Office of the size of the UK illicit drugs market was published in 2006. It estimated the value of the UK illicit drug market at between £4 billion to £6.6 billion for the reference year 2003-04.
	Source:
	Reference: Pudney et al. (2006) 'Estimating the size of the UK illicit drug market' In Singleton, N. et al. (eds.) ‘Measuring different aspects of problem drug use: methodological developments'. Home Office Online Report 16/06):
	http://rds.homeoffice.gov.uk/rds/pdfs06/rdsolr1606.pdf

Drugs: Misuse

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has considered Professor Jake Chapman's conclusions from his recent systems approach to drugs policy in Being Real on Drugs; and whether her Department will be making any response.

James Brokenshire: Home Office officials have noted the conclusions in Professor Chapman's pamphlet.

Entry Clearances: Carers

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what her policy is on the issuing of visas to non-UK citizens who are paid overseas as permanent carers for UK citizens based overseas and are accompanying that UK citizen on a short visit to the UK; and what class of visa such carers would be allocated.

Damian Green: Where an overseas-based UK citizen is returning to the UK for a short visit lasting no more than six months, they may be accompanied by an established domestic employee providing personal care. The carer must meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules for domestic workers in overseas households. These include the requirement that the worker has been employed in this capacity by the UK citizen for a period of at least one year. Successful applicants are issued with a domestic worker visa. Whilst in the UK, the domestic worker is subject to UK employment laws and must have agreed written terms and conditions of employment with their employer.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Mark Reckless: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many students were granted Tier 4 entry clearance for each level of course studied in the latest period for which figures are available.

Damian Green: The number of tier 4 student entry clearance visas issued from January to March 2012 was 18,405.
	To provide an accurate answer to the question tabled would require the examination of individual records, which would incur disproportionate costs.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer from the Minister of State for Universities and Science of 19 March 2012, Official Report, columns 519-20W, on overseas students: entry clearances, if she will carry out an assessment of the effect of changes to the Tier 4 visa system on the international reputation of the UK's higher education sector.

Damian Green: The Government continues to welcome the brightest and best students to our world-leading academic institutions. Our student visa policies represent a great offer to international students. Those with an offer from a licensed institution, who can speak English and support themselves in the UK, can come here, with no limits on numbers. University graduates can stay and work if they have an offer of a job paying £20,000 or more. Our new educational oversight arrangements ensure that genuine foreign students can have confidence that they are studying at a bona fide institution offering a good standard of education.
	Official Higher Education Statistics Agency statistics on the number of non-EU students at universities during the 2011-12 academic year will not be available until February 2013. However, UCAS figures continue to show an increasing number of international students applying to study at our universities, and the UK's universities continue to report growth.
	The Government does not intend to carry out any assessment of the effect of changes to Tier 4 to the international reputation of the UK's higher education sector. The measures we have taken to tackle abuse and protect the position of our world-class universities should enhance the reputation of UK education overseas. But it is the quality and value of the education on offer, not the visa regime, that should be the key determinant of international reputation.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given to introducing a new category of study visa.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 July 2012
	For students from outside the European Economic Area on courses longer than six months a Tier 4 general student visa is required. Where a student is studying for less than six months a student visitor visa can be used. In 2011 the Government introduced a new Extended Student Visitor category. This allows English language students to remain for up to 11 months. The Government is satisfied that these routes are adequate and there are no current plans to introduce a new category of study visa.

Entry Clearances: Overseas Students

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many student visas issued in 2011 were for study at (a) higher education institutions, (b) private further education colleges, (c) public further education colleges and (d) language colleges.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The number of entry clearance visas issued in 2011 for the purposes of study, including tier 4 (students) and student visitors was 322,653.
	To provide a more detailed breakdown would require the examination of individual records, which would incur disproportionate costs.

First Offenders

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many first-time offenders were arrested and charged in (a) 1997, (b) 2001, (c) 2005, (d) 2010 and (e) the latest year for which data are available.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 6 July 2012
	The information requested is not collected centrally by the Home Office.

Immigration

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people were granted temporary leave to remain upon arrival in the UK (a) between February 2011 and July 2011 and (b) since February 2012.

Damian Green: holding answer 13 July 2012
	No arrivals at the UK border were granted temporary leave to remain upon arrival at port. Leave to remain is granted either through the issuing of a visa or through an application submitted in-country.

Immigration

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many active immigration case files there were in each of the last 10 years.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The information is not held centrally and could be obtained only at disproportionate cost.

Immigration Controls

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people had their applications for further leave to remain refused in 2011; and how many of them e-borders recorded as subsequently leaving the UK. [R]

Damian Green: holding answer 16 July 2012
	In 2011, there were 54,272 decisions, including dependants, to refuse an application for an extension of stay in the United Kingdom.
	This is a provisional figure released in table ex.01 in the Home Office's ‘Immigration Statistics January—March 2012’, which is available from the Library of the House and from the Home Office Science, research and statistics web pages at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/science-research-statistics/research-statistics/immigration-asylum-research/immigration-q1-2012/?view=Standard&pubID=1024555
	The e-Borders system enables checks to be made on individuals arriving or exiting the UK, but does not collect information specifically on individuals identified as having been refused further leave to remain, except when they leave the UK on certain routes.

Immigration Controls

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many people arrived on visitor visas in 2011; and how many of them e-borders recorded as subsequently leaving the UK. [R]

Damian Green: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The requested information is not yet available for 2011. Statistics on numbers of passenger arrivals to the United Kingdom in 2011, by reason for entry, are scheduled for release in the in the Home Office's ‘Immigration Statistics April—June 2012’ on 30 August 2012. The release will be available from the Home Office Science, research and statistics web pages at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/science-research/research-statistics/migration/migration-statistics1/
	The e-Borders system enables checks to be made on individuals arriving or exiting the UK, but does not collect information specifically on individuals identified as having left the UK, except when they have done so on certain routes.

Immigration Controls

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps her Department is taking to reduce the number of people granted settlement outside of the immigration rules. [R]

Damian Green: holding answer 16 July 2012
	On 13 June 2012 the Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), laid a Statement of Changes in Immigration Rules on family migration, which came into force on 9 July 2012. A person who does not meet the requirements of the Immigration Rules will no longer be considered for discretionary leave outside the rules on Article 8 grounds. Provision has now been made in the rules themselves for leave to remain on the basis of private or family life. The eligibility for this leave, and the conditions attached to it, are set out in the rules. This brings to an end the previous widespread practice of granting discretionary leave outside the rules on Article 8 grounds. In future, if a person does not qualify for leave under the rules, or for leave outside the rules on a genuinely exceptional basis, they will not receive any form, of leave and will be expected to leave the UK.
	Full details are in the Statement of Intent, available on the UK Border Agency website at:
	http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/sitecontent/documents/news/soi-fam-mig.pdf
	and in the House of Commons Library.

Immigration Controls

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the longest period of time an application for a Highly Trusted Sponsor Certificate has taken to determine for applications which were outstanding at July 2010.

Damian Green: Of those Highly Trusted Sponsor applications which were submitted before 1 July 2010 and remained outstanding after 31 July 2010, the longest period of time it took to make a decision was 658 days.
	This was an exceptional case involving issues with sponsor accreditation and required further investigation.

Immigration Controls

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average length of time was for the Border Agency to determine an application for a Highly Trusted Sponsor Certificate in the latest period for which figures are available.

Damian Green: The average length of time taken to determine an application for Highly Trusted Sponsor (HTS) status is shown as follows.
	
		
			  Cases despatched Average processing time (days) 
			 2010 694 78 
			 2011 800 122 
			 2012 (year to date) 620 167 
		
	
	The figures provided have been derived from local management information and have not been subject to national statistical protocols.
	This information excludes those applications where there is no received or despatched date; i.e. where publicly funded educational institutions were automatically given HTS status for the first 12 months.
	The average processing time for HTS applications has increased since 2010 principally because the application process is more detailed. More automated processes have been introduced to ensure that applications are dealt with in a timely fashion.

Immigration Controls

Julian Huppert: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many applications for Highly Trusted Sponsor Certificates remain to be determined by the UK Border Agency.

Damian Green: As of 12 July 2012, 936 Highly Trusted Sponsor applications remain to be determined.

Immigration Controls: St Pancras Station

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether all Eurostar passengers arriving from (a) Brussels, (b) Lille and (c) Paris are checked by UK Border Force staff on arrival at St Pancras station.

Damian Green: Full passport checks are carried out on Eurostar passengers at the Eurostar stations in Brussels, Paris and Lille by Border Force officers. Full Passport checks are carried out on trains arriving Marne la Vallee (Disneyland) and seasonal trains from Bourg Saint Maurice and Avignon at St Pancras.
	Border Force staff at St Pancras also undertake secondary customs examination as required on all services and perform additional ticket checks on passengers from Brussels.

Independent Police Complaints Commission

Bob Russell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many complaints lodged with the Independent Police Complaints Commission are outstanding (a) three to six months, (b) six months to one year and (c) in excess of one year after having been lodged; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  what discussions she has had with the Independent Police Complaints Commission on the time taken to deal with complaints lodged by members of the public; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 4 July 2012, Official Report, column 656W. The 2011-12 annual report and statement of accounts was laid in Parliament on 10 July 2012.

Manchester Airport: Security

Chris Bryant: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent assessment she has made of the security arrangements at Manchester Airport; and what steps she plans to take to prevent future security breaches.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 July 2012
	Security at Manchester airport is a partnership between the airport operator, Border Force, the Police and the Department for Transport. Security arrangements are continuously reviewed and assessed, particularly in response to security incidents, to identify risk areas and appropriate action is taken to strengthen those arrangements.

Members: Correspondence

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  when she plans to reply to the letter from the hon. Member for Walsall North of 19 April 2012 in respect of a constituent, ref: M5696/12;
	(2)  when she plans to answer question 108233 tabled by the hon. Member for Walsall North on 15 May 2012 for answer on 21 May 2012.

Nick Herbert: holding answers 17 May and 25 June 2012
	A response was sent to the hon. Member on 17 July 2012.

Members: Correspondence

David Laws: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department for what reason her Department has not been able to provide a response to the right hon. Member for Yeovil's letter dated 11 May 2012, on proposals for police reforms.

Nick Herbert: A response was sent to the right hon. Gentleman on 17 July 2012.

Metal Theft

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what steps police forces are taking to charge those who either buy or pass on metal acquired by theft with the offence of handling stolen goods under the Theft Act 1968.

James Brokenshire: Police forces have sought prosecutions for the offence of handling stolen goods where it is possible to do so. Officers have, however, experienced difficulties obtaining sufficient evidence with many scrap metal dealers claiming that they were unaware that the metals they were handling were stolen. Similarly, police forces have struggled to prove the theft of metals, with a common defence being metals were simply found rather than stolen.
	The Scrap Metal Dealers Bill currently before the House will ensure that scrap metal dealers take steps to verify the seller's identification, as well as introducing more stringent rules concerning record keeping for all transactions. We believe that this will increase transparency across the industry and provide clearer records of the metals being purchased.

Metal Theft

Philip Davies: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what estimate she has made of the number of scrap metal dealers who bought metal acquired by theft who are charged with handling stolen goods under the Theft Act 1968.

James Brokenshire: This information is not held centrally. Centrally held crime statistics do not record any information on persons who are charged with any offence.

Migration

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what consideration she has given to adopting the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's definition of migration.

Damian Green: holding answer 16 July 2012
	In assessing overall migration flows the Home Office uses figures derived from the Office for National Statistics International Passenger Survey. The basis for the definition of migrant in these figures is the internationally recognised UN definition of a migrant. This is also the definition used by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's definition (OECD ) in assessing the UK's net migration.

e-mail: Policy Advisers

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether special advisers in her Department are permitted to use non-departmental e-mail addresses for departmental business.

Damian Green: holding answer 21 June 2012
	Any communication of protectively marked material outside the Government Secure Intranet (GSI) network on personal ICT equipment is strictly prohibited.
	Other forms of electronic communication may be occasionally used in the course of conducting Government business but this will depend on all the circumstances, including the nature and sensitivity of the information being communicated.

Passports: Lost Property

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many complaints have been received on the system for reporting lost or stolen passports in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: Between June 2011 and June 2012 a total of 32 complaints were received relating to the lost and stolen passport process from UK and overseas customers.

Passports: Lost Property

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what the average cost per customer was of a call to report a lost or stolen passport over the last 12 months.

Damian Green: Calls to report a lost or stolen passport are made to the Identity and Passport Service Advice line number, which is: 0300 222 0000. The cost of calling 0300 numbers is no more than a national call from any type of phone or provider. National call rate charges will vary dependant upon the customer's service provider, but calls from landlines typically cost between 1p and 3p per minute and from mobiles 5p and 31p per minute. Average call costs are dependent upon the duration of the call and this information is not recorded by the Identity and Passport Service.

Police

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if her Department will take steps to use police training to build awareness of suicidal behaviour so that officers are better equipped to recognise those at risk; and if she will make a statement.

Nick Herbert: It is the duty of the chief constable of each force to ensure that police officers are sufficiently well trained to deal with all situations that they might face. The Home Office does not mandate training for police officers.
	The subject of suicide is mentioned on several occasions during the initial training for all police officers.
	The police are currently taking part in a number a Government-led cross-sector forums which seek to improve practice in the investigation of sudden deaths.

Police

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when she expects to publish her proposals for a Professional Policing Body.

Nick Herbert: The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), updated the House on the police professional body in a WMS on 16 July 2012, Official Report, column 107WS.

Police and Crime Commissioners

David Hanson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she has requested additional resources from HM Treasury to promote the elections for police commissioners.

Nick Herbert: No additional resources have been requested from HM Treasury to promote police and crime commissioner elections.

Police: Bureaucracy

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to the answer of 18 July 2011, Official Report, column 663W, on police: bureaucracy, how many national police forms have been drawn up for use by all forces.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 10 July 2012
	It is largely for individual forces to determine which forms they use. In 2011 the Government conducted a review of these forms in consultation with the joint Home Office/Association of Chief Police Officers Reducing Bureaucracy Programme Board. As a result of this review, there is now a standard national set of forms (known as the Manual of Guidance or MG forms) which are required by the Crown Prosecution Service if a case leads to charge and prosecution.

Police: Bureaucracy

John Spellar: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to her answer of 23 April 2012, Official Report, columns 626-27W, on bureaucracy: police, when she expects to publish the outcome of her Department's work on cutting police red tape.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 10 July 2012
	An overview of the work being taken forward by the joint Home Office and Association of Chief Police Officers Reducing Bureaucracy Programme is now available on the Home Office website at:
	www.homeoffice.gov.uk

Police: Conditions of Employment

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  whether she specified on appointing Tom Winsor to review police officer and staff pay and conditions that the legal firm for which he works should play no part in advising any private sector company on the outsourcing of any police services (a) during the period of the review and (b) for any specified period of time following the review; and if she will make a statement;
	(2)  when she expects to answer question 111148, on the appointment of Tom Winsor, tabled on 8 June 2012 for answer on 12 June 2012; and what the reasons are for the time taken to answer the question.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 6 July 2012
	Tom Winsor's report was his own, not his firm's, and it does not make recommendations on business partnering. I understand that, until after his report was written, he had no knowledge of the involvement of other members of his firm with forces.

Police: Court Orders

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will make an estimate of the costs involved in establishing a central register of applications for production orders.

Nick Herbert: As we do not currently collect any data in relation to production orders, and I am unable to make an estimate of the costs of establishing such a register without placing a bureaucratic burden on the police who make these applications. Furthermore, as this is an operational matter which is already subject to judicial oversight, we do not see the need to collect this information.

Police: Pay

Helen Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what assessment she has made of the potential effect on police staff retention of implementation of the Winsor proposals on pay.

Nick Herbert: holding answer 6 July 2012
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May), has referred specific recommendations about police staff pay from the final report of Tom Winsor’s independent review to the Police Staff Council and other relevant bodies. She will consider the outcome of their consideration very carefully.

Police: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  how many police officers from a police force in England and Wales have been engaged in police activity in Scotland in each month since May 2007;
	(2)  on how many occasions a police officer from a police force in England and Wales has been engaged in police activity in Scotland in each month since May 2007.

Nick Herbert: The Home Office does not hold the information requested. The deployment of police officers is an operational matter for chief constables. Mutual aid between police forces in the United Kingdom is co-ordinated through the Association of Chief Police Officers (ACPO) and the Police National Information Co-ordination Centre (PNICC).

Ports

Keith Vaz: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department on what dates and at what time (a) she and (b) the Minister of State for Immigration visited UK ports in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: In the last 12 months, Home Office Ministers have made the following visits to UK ports:
	The Secretary of State for the Home Department, my right hon. Friend the Member for Maidenhead (Mrs May) visited Heathrow on 27 June 2012.
	The Immigration Minister visited ports on the following dates and times:
	
		
			  Destination Time of visit 
			 24 August 2011 Plymouth 11 am to 4 pm 
			 10 October 2011 Heathrow Airport 11 am to 1 pm 
			 18 October 2011 Heathrow Airport 1 pm to 3pm 
			 5 January 2012 Dover 12 pm to 3.30 pm 
		
	
	
		
			 8 February 2012 Heathrow 7.30 am to 9 am 
			 28 February 2012 Stansted 12.30 pm to 3 pm 
			 11 April 2012 Farnborough Airport & Blackbushe Airport 10 am to 2.30 pm 
			 1 May 2012 Heathrow 11.30 am to 12.30 pm 
			 14 May 2012 Heathrow 7.30 am to 8.30 am 
			 7 June 2012 Stansted 5 pm to 6 pm 
			 20 June 2012 Heathrow 1.30 pm to 3 pm 
			 10 July 2012 Heathrow 7 am to 8 am

Prisons: Mental Health Services

Bob Stewart: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what standard operational procedures are in place to deal with (a) an escape and (b) a patient absconding while on escort from the secure or medium secure units at Bethlem Royal Hospital.

Paul Burstow: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department of Health.
	This is a matter for the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust. We have written to the trust's Chair, Madeliene Long, informing her of my hon. Friend’s inquiry. She will reply shortly and a copy of the letter will be placed in the Library.

Prostitution: Greater London

Elfyn Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many incidents of violence against sex workers were recorded by the police in the Greater London area during 2011.

Lynne Featherstone: The information is not available from the recorded crime statistics collected by the Home Office. Offences where the victim is a sex worker cannot be separately identified from other offences recorded within an offence classification. In an incident of a sex worker being assaulted, it is the appropriate offence that will be recorded by the police, for example, actual bodily harm (ABH) and other injury.

Public Expenditure

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether she expects her Department to underspend its budget for 2012-13; and what estimate she has made of any such underspend.

Damian Green: The Office for Budget Responsibility provide forecasts as part of their Economic and Fiscal Outlook in the autumn. As part of the Transparency Agenda the Government publishes the full detail of plans and out-turn for all Departments after the end of the financial year. HM Treasury publishes out-turn data for all departments from the COINS database, available on the Treasury website on a quarterly basis. Forecasts for 2012-13 out-turn by Department will be published at Budget 2013.

Road Traffic Offences: Fixed Penalties

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many fixed penalty notices were issued to motorists in (a) Ashfield constituency, (b) the east midlands and (c) Nottinghamshire in each of the last three years.

James Brokenshire: Available data held by the Home Office are at police force area level and relate to the number of persons who were issued with fixed penalty notices in Nottinghamshire police force area and the east midlands region. These data are given in the following table. Information relating to Ashfield constituency is not collected centrally.
	Data for 2011 are scheduled to be published next spring.
	
		
			 Number of fixed penalty notices issued for motoring offences, Nottinghamshire police force area and east midlands Government office region, 2008-10 
			 Area 2008 2009 2010 
			 Nottinghamshire police force area 55,145 48,649 34,974 
			 East midlands region 186,978 152,649 134,613

Schengen Agreement: ICT

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to EU Council Decision 2008/334/JHA, whether the UK has fully adopted the SIRENE manual and other implementing measures for the second generation Schengen Information System.

James Brokenshire: holding answer 12 July 2012
	The UK has adopted EU Commission Decision 2008/334/JHA adopting the SIRENE manual and other implementing measures for the second generation Schengen Information System. However, as the second generation Schengen Information System is not yet in operation adoption of the Decision has not required the UK or any other member state to take practical measures in relation to the Commission Decision.
	Between the adoption of this decision and the present, changes have been suggested to the SIRENE manual and other implementing measures for the second generation Schengen Information System to reflect the operational needs of end-users and staff involved in SIRENE operations better, to improve consistency of working procedures and ensure that technical rules are compliant. The European Commission is therefore drafting new legislation which will repeal and replace EU Commission Decision 2008/334/JHA of 4 March 2008.

Schengen Agreement: Switzerland

Dominic Raab: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department with reference to EU Council Decision 2008/149/JHA, what assessment her Department has made of the effects of the involvement of the Swiss Confederation with the Schengen acquis.

James Brokenshire: This measure is on the list of 133 notified to Parliament on 21 December 2011 as part of the decision to be made on whether we accept European Court of Justice jurisdiction for pre-Lisbon police and criminal justice measures in 2014. This measure will be reviewed accordingly.

Shipping: Work Permits

Jim Fitzpatrick: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department when the review of the relevant operational instruction relating to the administration of the controls applied to seamen covered by Council Regulation 3577/92/EC and work permits will be completed.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency aims to complete the review of the relevant operational instruction relating to the administration of the controls applied to seamen by the end of the year.

Staff: Surveys

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department by what means staff are surveyed in (a) the UK Border Agency and (b) her Department; and on what dates the results of the next such survey will be made public.

Damian Green: Staff in the Home Office, including the UK Border Agency, participate in the annual Civil Service People Survey. The last survey was in autumn 2011, and the results for the Department can be found at:
	http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publications/about-us/staff-survey-2011/
	The 2012 survey will be launched in autumn this year. The Cabinet Office expects all Departments to publish their 2012 People Survey results by 1 February 2013.

Steroid Drugs

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department what recent discussions she has had on the classification of anabolic steroids.

James Brokenshire: The Advisory Council on the Misuse of Drugs provided further advice on anabolic steroids (‘Consideration of the anabolic steroids’) in September 2010. The Government accepted its advice that anabolic steroids should continue to be controlled Class C drugs under the Misuse of Drugs Act.
	The Government also acted on recommendations to strengthen the legal framework so as to prevent the importation of anabolic steroids not intended for medical use. The Statutory Instrument amending the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 to implement the Council's advice came into effect on 23 April 2012.

UK Border Agency

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department if she will place in the Library copies of all internal audit recommendations made in relation to the UK Border Agency in the last five years.

Damian Green: Release of these recommendations would, or would be likely to, inhibit the free and open discussions between internal audit and senior management in order to provide impartial advice on governance, risk management or control within the organisation. For this reason I will not place copies of these recommendations in the Library.

UK Border Agency

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many workplace raids the UK Border Agency has conducted in (a) Oxford East constituency, (b) Oxfordshire, (c) the South East and (d) the UK in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency does not collate information centrally on the number of illegal working enforcement visits specifically by constituency and county level.
	Records indicate that between 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 there were 5291 illegal working enforcement visits carried out in the United Kingdom, of which 1948 were in London and the South East.

UK Border Agency

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many raids of home addresses the UK Border Agency has conducted in (a) Oxford East constituency, (b) Oxfordshire, (c) the South East and (d) the UK in the last 12 months.

Damian Green: The UK Border Agency does not collate information centrally on the number of enforcement home visits specifically by constituency and county.
	Records indicate that between 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 there were 5618 enforcement home visits carried out in the United Kingdom, of which 2571 were in London and the South East.

UK Border Agency: Scotland

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many UK Border Agency staff of each rank were employed at Stranraer and Cairnryan ports in each of the last three years.

Damian Green: During the period in question the UK Border Agency had no staff employed at the stated ports. The Agency funded the secondment of three policemen, one detective sergeant and two detective constables at the Galloway ports from July 2006 until November 2010.

Vetting

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what plans she has to bring forward proposals to reform (a) regular Criminal Record Bureau (CRB) checks and (b) the discretionary aspect of enhanced CRBs;
	(2)  what assessment she has made of the effect of subjectivity in the discretionary element of enhanced Criminal Record Bureau checks on the capacity of individuals to gain employment; and what discussions she has had with the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on reform of this element.

Lynne Featherstone: We are reforming the Criminal Records Regime to make it more proportionate and efficient. There are a number of changes in the Protection of Freedoms Act (2012) to achieve this.
	The criteria for releasing discretionary information held in local police records on enhanced criminal record certificates will change. Currently, the chief officer can release any information that ‘might be relevant’ and ‘ought to be included in the certificate’. From September, this will change to information the chief officer ‘reasonably believes’ to be relevant and ‘ought to be included in the certificate.’ Statutory guidance on providing information for inclusion in enhanced criminal record certificates, incorporating this new test of relevance, will be available to chief officers to which they must have regard.
	The Act also introduces the right to appeal to an independent monitor against any discretionary information the applicant believes should not be included on the certificate.
	The Home Office has worked closely with a number of Departments on these reforms and during the passage of the Protection of Freedoms Act.

Victim Support Schemes

Priti Patel: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department 
	(1)  what guidance she will issue to police and crime commissioners on the commissioning of services for victims; and when she expects to issue that guidance;
	(2)  if she will meet with providers of victim support services to discuss future arrangements for the delivery of such services when commissioned by police and crime commissioners.

Crispin Blunt: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	In the Government response to the consultation ‘Getting it Right for Victims and Witnesses’ we said we would provide an outcomes-based commissioning framework for use by Police and Crime Commissioners (PCCs). Its content will be developed with the involvement of interested parties including the voluntary sector and PCCs themselves. While PCCs will not be compelled to use the framework our intention is that they will find the advice and information it contains helpful as they undertake the task of commissioning victims' services that are right for their areas.
	The Government values the hard work and commitment of providers of victims' services. As the new commissioning arrangements develop, Ministers will be happy to meet with providers of victims' services when it would be helpful to do so.

Victim Support Schemes

Stella Creasy: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department how many (a) independent domestic violence advisers and (b) independent sexual violence advisers there were in the last five years for which figures are available; and what the (i) location, (ii) number of reported cases dealt with and (iii) recorded involvement in criminal prosecutions has for each such category of advisor in each such year.

Lynne Featherstone: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The number of Government funded Independent Domestic Violence Advisers (IDVAs) and Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) and their locations over the last five years are set out in tables A and B.
	The total number of IDVAs and ISVAs is not known because some are funded and employed by a range of organisations, and do not have to register with anyone.
	Information on the numbers of reported cases dealt with by IDVAs and ISVAs and recorded involvement in criminal prosecutions for IDVAs and ISVAs is not held centrally.
	
		
			 Table 1: ISVA funding 
			  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2013-12 to 2014-15 
			 North West 6 6 8 7 4 12 
			 North East 2 2 2 3 3 6 
			 East of England 1 1 1 2 2 9 
			 West Midlands 6 6 7 7 10 12 
			 South East 1 1 2 2 5 9 
			 East Midlands 2 2 2 4 3 8 
			 South West 2 2 3 4 5 7 
			 London 6 6 5 6 6 8 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 5 5 4 6 6 8 
			 Wales 3 3 3 2 0 8 
			 Total 34 34 37 43 44 87 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: IDVA Funding 
			  Ministry of Justice  
			  2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 IDVA Funding 2012-13 Victims and Witness General Fund 2011-12 to 2013-14 Home Office IDVA Funding 2011-12 to 2014-15 
			 North West 23 25 20 9 8 5 0 15 
			 North East 12 13 16 7 5 3 1 4 
			 East of England 8 8 8 4 4 0 4 11 
			 Midlands 12 14 9 4 2 0 10 26 
			 South East 13 14 11 3 1 1 7 19 
			 South West 17 17 11 1 1 0 8 16 
			 London 10 10 12 12 8 1 6 22 
			 Yorkshire and Humber 13 13 7 1 1 0 4 12 
			 Wales 16 17 8 1 0 0 3 19 
			 Total 124 131 102 42 30 10 44 144

Work Permits

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2012, Official Report, column 602W, on work permits, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of European Council Regulation 3577/92/EC on the work permit requirements for non-EEA seafarers employed on vessels flagged to (a) another EU state and (b) non-EEA states working exclusively within British waters.

Damian Green: A non-EEA national seeking entry to the UK for the purpose of joining, as a contracted crew member, a vessel as which will operate wholly or largely within British waters will generally require permission to work under the points-based system. However, Regulation 3577/92/EC specifies that matters, including work permit requirements, relating to the manning of a vessel registered in another member state and engaged in cabotage between ports situated in the same member state will be the responsibility of the member state in which the vessel is registered, except where the vessel is smaller than 650 gt and where it is engaged in cabotage between mainland ports and ports situated in the same member state. This exception to the work permit requirement does not apply to vessels registered in a country outside the EEA.

Work Permits

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2012, Official Report, column 602W, on work permits, what recent assessment she has made of the effect of changes to the immigration system made after 10 May 2010 on the application of tier 2 of the points-based system to non-EEA seafarers seeking admission to the UK to work on vessels where the tour of duty does not leave British waters.

Damian Green: Non-EEA seafarers working on vessels which do not leave British waters would need to obtain permission to work through tier 2 of the points-based system.
	In April 2011, the skills requirement for tier 2 of the points-based system was increased from NQF 3 to NQF 4. The Government has subsequently, in June this year, raised the requirement to NQF 6 for the majority of tier 2 roles the exceptions being jobs on the shortage occupation list, which currently does not include any seafaring occupations, and certain creative roles. Therefore, unless non-EEA seafarers are intending to take up roles skilled to NQF 6 or above, they are not eligible to come to the UK under tier 2.
	The Migration Advisory Committee considered whether ship’s officers should be added to the tier 2 shortage occupation list as part of its review of that list published in September 2011. It concluded that this occupation should not be added to the list. The impact of the tier 2 limit for 2012-13, including the impacts on specific occupations of raising the skills threshold for tier 2 to NQF 6, were assessed by the Migration Advisory Committee on its report published in February 2012. The MAC’s reports are available at:
	www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/aboutus/workingwithus/indbodies/mac/reports-publications/

TREASURY

Aggregates Levy: Northern Ireland

Margaret Ritchie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent discussions he has had with (a) representatives of the aggregates industry in Northern Ireland and (b) the European Commission on the credit levy scheme in Northern Ireland; and if he will make a statement.

Chloe Smith: Officials from HM Treasury, HM Revenue and Customs, Northern Ireland Office and the Northern Ireland Executive met members of the Quarry Products Association Northern Ireland on 3 July 2012.
	The Government was asked industry members to share data to assist the UK Government in responding to the European Commission's formal investigation of the scheme.
	The Government continues to work closely and constructively with the European Commission, following the Government's first formal response to the investigation in November 2011.
	The Government continues to believe that the best way to achieve a speedy and positive resolution for the quarrying industry in Northern Ireland is to co-operate fully with the Commission's investigation and provide them with the data and evidence they have requested.

Air Passenger Duty

Anna Soubry: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether his Department has commissioned research into the effect that the level of air passenger duty has on (a) the number of flights booked by UK holidaymakers, (b) employment and (c) economic growth.

Chloe Smith: The Government consulted extensively on APD after Budget 2011 and published its response on 6 December 2011. The report can be found online here:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/2011budget_airpassenger.htm

Banks: Regulation

David Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will introduce reforms to banking before 2019.

Mark Hoban: The Government published its proposals on ring-fencing in the Banking Reform White Paper on 14 June 2012. The consultation on these proposals will close on 6 September 2012.
	Following the consultation, the Government intends to bring forward legislation to implement ring-fencing and relevant recommendations of the Independent Commission on Banking (ICB) as soon as parliamentary time allows. As the ICB recommended, banks will be expected to have implemented reforms by 2019.

Banks: Unfair Practices

Guto Bebb: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will take steps to encourage discussions between HM Revenue and Customs and the Financial Services Authority on the implications of mis-selling of interest rate swap products and minimising financial hardship for small businesses who have been mis-sold such products.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials meet with, and receive representations from, a wide range of organisations and individuals in the public and private sectors as part of the usual policymaking process. As was the case with previous Administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such representations.

Business: Barnsley

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he is taking to make financial support available to small businesses in Barnsley Central constituency which wish to take out a swap loan agreement.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 11 July 2012
	I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The Government have a range of initiatives to support small businesses across the country access finance, including the Enterprise Finance Guarantee and the National Loan Guarantee scheme. However, the Government do not currently have a scheme to help small businesses access IRSA products. But the Government are acutely aware of the concerns some businesses may have around interest rates. That is why we launched the National Loan Guarantee scheme, to enable businesses to borrow at interest rates 1% lower than they would otherwise be able to, and why the Bank of England announced the Funding for Lending scheme, which will provide support through the banks to enable more lending to households and businesses.

Business: Government Assistance

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much of the Business Finance Partnership funds are unallocated.

Mark Hoban: holding answer 16 July 2012
	All £1.2 billion of the available funds for the Business Finance Partnership are in the process of being allocated. As announced at Budget 2012, up to £700 million is being invested in a shortlist of fund managers that lend to mid-sized businesses, subject to due diligence. The Treasury is currently requesting proposals for investing a further £400 million in such fund managers, and the Department for Business is requesting proposals for investing £100 million in non-traditional lending channels that can reach smaller businesses.

Charities: Occupied Territories

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether it is his policy that tax relief is not given to charities that donate to Israeli settlement development in the occupied Palestinian territories.

David Gauke: Where an organisation is recognised as a charity by the Charity Commission and by HM Revenue and Customs it is entitled to UK tax relief on its income, subject to that income being applied for wholly charitable purposes only. Applying income for wholly charitable purposes can include making a payment to a body outside the UK, but for tax relief to remain intact, HM Revenue and Customs must be satisfied that the charity has taken reasonable steps to ensure that payment will be applied for charitable purposes only.
	The Charities Act 2011 lists charitable purposes, which are followed for UK tax purposes. It follows that if payments are made to organisations in Israel and those payments are applied for wholly charitable purposes, the charity remains entitled to tax relief.
	If a charity applies its income for non-charitable purposes, tax relief is denied, and where it has already been given it is recovered.

Child Care Tax Credit

Stephen Timms: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many households claimed child care tax credits in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12.

David Gauke: holding answer 26 June 2012
	The average number of families benefiting from the child care element 2010-11 is available in table 3.2 of the HMRC publication “Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics Finalised Annual Awards 2010-11” which is available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/final-award-main.htm
	In 2010-11, 455,000 families benefited.
	Figures for 2011-12 will be available in May 2013.
	More recent data on the number of families benefiting from the child care element are available in table 4.4 of the HMRC publication “Child and Working Tax Credit Statistics April 2012” which is available at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/personal-tax-credits/cwtc-quarterly-stats.htm
	As at the beginning of April 2012, 454,900 families benefited.
	This publication takes a snapshot of the tax credits population and therefore shows the number of claimants at a particular point in time based on the family circumstances that we have been informed of at that time.

Commodity Markets

Sandra Osborne: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what steps he plans to improve regulation of the commodity markets.

Mark Hoban: The Government strongly support the G20 commitments to improve the regulation, functioning, and transparency of financial and commodity markets, including position reporting. The Government are pursuing a number of legislative changes that will take these G20 commitments forward:
	Under the European Market Infrastructure Regulation (EMIR), the Government has agreed legislative requirements that will ensure that all standardised over-the-counter derivatives should be cleared, through central counterparties. This would help to contribute towards the broader aim of mitigating against systemic risk in financial markets, including commodities derivatives markets.
	In the European Commission's review of the markets in financial instruments directive (MiFID), the Government is supportive of the legislative proposals to ensure; (1) that where appropriate, standardised over-the-counter derivatives are traded on exchanges or electronic platforms; (2) there is strong regulatory oversight powers on commodities markets through the application of a position management regime based on strong supervision and market monitoring; and (3) periodic reporting of commodities data, and also ensuring more comparability across different trading venues. This will make it easier for regulators to analyse, interpret and act where necessary within commodity derivatives markets.
	In addition, under the European Commission's review of the Market Abuse Regulation, the Government is supportive of proposals to capture cross market manipulation between commodity derivative and spot commodity markets.

Company Accounts: Disclosure of Information

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will make it his policy to require multinational corporations based in the UK to publish a profit and loss account and limited balance sheet and cash flow information for each jurisdiction in which they trade as part of their annual financial statements; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	The UK has no plans to require any corporation registered in the UK to publish a profit and loss account and limited balance sheet and cash flow information for each jurisdiction in which they trade. This level of detail is not necessary, for the financial statements achieve their objective of providing a true and fair view of a corporation's financial position. There are, however, negotiations at EU level that relate to accounting that have yet to be concluded.

Credit

Zac Goldsmith: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what progress his Department has made on research on introducing a variable cap on the total cost of credit that can be charged in the high cost credit market.

Norman Lamb: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills.
	BIS has commissioned research to establish the impact of introducing a cap on the total cost of credit that can be charged in the short to medium term high cost credit market. The research will look at a number of areas including how other countries regulate their markets and whether a cap on the total cost of credit would reduce access to credit for some consumers. The research is being carried out by Bristol University's Personal Finance Research Centre. The fieldwork has been completed and a progress report lodged in Parliament on 24 May 2012:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/assets/biscore/consumer-issues/docs/i/12-822-impact-variable-cap-on-high-cost-credit-update.pdf.
	We expect the research to report back by late summer 2012.

e-mail

Tom Watson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many e-mails he received to his official government e-mail address in each month since May 2010.

Chloe Smith: The information requested could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Finance Act 2008

Robert Buckland: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many taxpayers are affected by the provisions of section 58 of the Finance Act 2008.

David Gauke: UK residents are taxable on their worldwide income wherever it arises, including situations where it arises by way of foreign partnerships. Section 58 of Finance Act 2008 was enacted to help put that beyond doubt and in so doing, made dear that a wholly artificial tax avoidance scheme involving a foreign partnership comprised of foreign trustees did not work. As section 58 retrospectively clarified existing legislation, its introduction had no affect on any taxpayer's tax position. HMRC has identified around 1,900 individuals who used the avoidance scheme or one of its variants and whose tax returns are currently under inquiry.

Financial Services: Advisory Services

Mark Garnier: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what information his Department holds on the number of independent financial advisers who have entered into administration as a result of rising indemnity costs; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Hoban: HM Treasury does not hold the information requested by my hon. Friend.

Financial Services: Advisory Services

Mark Garnier: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether (a) he and (b) his Department have had discussions with the Financial Ombudsman Service on the case fees independent financial advisers are charged for every complaint made against them.

Mark Hoban: Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions with a wide variety of authorities as part of the process of policy development and delivery. Details of meetings that Ministers have with external stakeholders are published on a quarterly basis on the Treasury's website under the Government's transparency agenda.
	With regard to the case fees independent financial advisers are charged, this is a matter for the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS), whose day-to-day operations are independent from Government control and influence. I have asked the FOS to write to my hon. Friend with the information requested. A copy of the response will be placed in the Library of the House.

Freezing Orders: Egypt

David Morris: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer whether any Egyptian governmental assets are still frozen in the UK; and what their total estimated value is.

Mark Hoban: No UN or EU sanctions have been imposed on the Egyptian Government and so no Egyptian Government assets are frozen in the UK.
	The sanctions in respect of Egypt impose an asset freeze against 19 individuals identified as responsible for the misappropriation of Egyptian state funds. For details I refer my hon. Friend to the answer I gave to the hon. Member for Hammersmith (Mr Slaughter) on 26 January 2012, Official Report, column 329W.

Government Departments: Conditions of Employment

Brian Binley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  how often and in what circumstances Government departments will exercise their right to seek assurance that off-payroll engagees are meeting their income tax and national insurance contributions obligations; and whether this will occur for every contract or only be exercised in selected circumstances or roles;
	(2)  what evidence he requires an off-payroll engagee in the public sector to provide that their income tax and national insurance contributions obligations are being met.

Danny Alexander: On 23 May, I announced the findings of the “Review of the Tax Arrangements of Public Sector Appointees”. This set out the extent of senior off-payroll engagements across Government and made recommendations to ensure that Government employers can assure themselves that their senior off-payroll staff are meeting their tax obligations.
	It will be for Government Departments and their arm's length bodies to determine when to exercise the right to assurance. However, I have announced that the Treasury will monitor departmental implementation and report back to me after one year.
	There are a number of ways in which off-payroll engagees can provide evidence that they are meeting their income tax and national insurance obligations. These include showing that they are drawing salary via a payslip, or demonstrating that they are operating the anti-avoidance intermediaries legislation known as IR35.

Income Tax: Kilmarnock

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what recent estimate he has made of the number of taxpayers in Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency who earn more than (a) £60,000 and (b) £150,000 per year; and what revenue accrued from income tax levied on these taxpayers in the last year.

David Gauke: Survey of Personal Incomes based estimates of taxpayers in Kilmarnock and Loudoun and other parliamentary constituencies in 2009-10 are available in table 3.15, at:
	http://www.hmrc.gov.uk/stats/income_distribution/table-3-15-mar2012.xls
	Estimates of number of taxpayers at specific high income levels are not published, reflecting generally declining reliability of estimates for smaller taxpayer subpopulations at local level.

Individual Savings Accounts

Justin Tomlinson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer with reference to the answer to the hon. Member for the City of Chester of 8 March 2012, Official Report, columns 892-93W, 
	(1)  what research his Department plans to conduct on enabling holders of child trust funds to transfer to junior ISAs;
	(2)  how he plans to monitor whether or not action is necessary in the future to enable holders of child trust funds to transfer to junior ISAs.

Mark Hoban: The Government has no immediate plans to allow transfers between child trust funds and junior ISAs.
	As part of its ordinary business, Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs will publish statistics on ISAs and junior ISAs towards the end of July and September 2012. A full set of child trust fund statistics is expected to be available towards the end of 2012.
	The Government uses statistics from Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs, as well as evidence from a range of other sources, to inform its approach to tax policy.

Landfill Communities Fund

Julian Huppert: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with (a) the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, (b) voluntary sector organisations and (c) ENTRUST on the effect of the Landfill Community Fund challenge to environmental bodies to reduce their reserves;
	(2)  what assessment he has made of the funding allocated by environmental bodies through the Landfill Community Fund following its challenge to environmental bodies to reduce their unspent reserves.

Chloe Smith: Budget 2011 announced that future decisions on the value of the Landfill Communities Fund (LCF) would take account of the success of Environmental Bodies (EBs) in reducing the level of unspent funds held. This level needs to be managed to ensure that the LCF is effective and efficient in supporting local community environmental projects.
	Officials from HM Treasury and HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) routinely discuss a range of issues with EBs and the LCF regulator, ENTRUST. The impact on funding allocated by EBs following the challenge to reduce unspent funds is formally monitored by ENTRUST, who report data to HMRC annually on the how the level of unspent funds is changing.

LIBOR

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what date he expects the Financial Services Authority to publish final notices relating to its investigation into LIBOR in respect of other UK banks under investigation.

Mark Hoban: Tracey McDermott, the FSA’s acting director of enforcement and financial crime, informed the Treasury Select Committee on 16 July 2012 that the FSA is investigating seven firms—not all of them UK firms—in relation to misconduct regarding LIBOR and other benchmark rates. The FSA will publish final notices once each investigation is concluded, in line with its standard practice.

Loans: Republic of Ireland

Gregory Campbell: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment he has made of the effect on the Exchequer in cash terms of the decision to change the interest rate payable on the bilateral loan to the Irish Republic.

Mark Hoban: The reduction in the interest rate on the UK bilateral loan to Ireland, through lower interest payments received from Ireland, will result in reduced income for the Exchequer. However, as I outlined in my written ministerial statement of 11 June, the UK will still be covering its cost of funding. My statement of 11 June also outlined that I will update Parliament once the loan agreement has been finalised to reflect the new interest rate.

Pensions

Andrew Turner: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer for what reason a drawdown pension scheme that puts money into a building society account which has no management charges or opening charges for a savings account cannot be offered.

Mark Hoban: There are no tax rules preventing a building society from opening an account for the member of a drawdown pension scheme.

Prudential Regulatory Authority

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the terms of the lease are entered into by the new Prudential Regulation Authority for its Moorgate offices; and if he will place in the Library a copy of the lease agreement.

Mark Hoban: The terms of the lease are commercially sensitive. I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 22 May 2012, Official Report, column 579W.

Public Sector Debt

John Stanley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total current indebtedness of the public sector is in respect of unfunded public-sector pension liabilities; and if he will state the Government's policy on disclosing that indebtedness and including it in the Government's official figure of debt as a proportion of gross domestic product.

Danny Alexander: On 12 July Government published the unaudited summary Whole of Government Accounts for 2010-11, which transparently presented the unfunded public service pension liabilities that have accrued to the end of that financial year.
	The account discloses that at 31 March 2011, on an unaudited consolidated basis, the liability for unfunded public sector pension liabilities was £893.3 billion. The Government will publish Whole of Government Accounts annually, including unfunded public service pension liabilities.
	The official measure of public sector net debt (PSND) is produced in accordance with the European System of Accounts 1995. This figure includes past payments for public service pension schemes, it does not include an estimate of payments for future promises and therefore is a different measure of the liability than shown in the WGA. PSND is currently shown as a proportion of gross domestic product. Please see the document at the following link:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/psf.pdf

Public Sector Debt

John Stanley: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the total current indebtedness of public sector bodies is in respect of debts incurred under the private finance initiative; and if he will state the Government's policy on disclosing that indebtedness and including it in the Government's official figure of debt as a proportion of gross domestic product.

Danny Alexander: On 12 July Government published the unaudited summary Whole of Government Accounts for 2010-11, which transparently presents the public sector's liabilities and the ongoing commitments under PFI contracts.
	The account discloses that at 31 March 2011, on an unaudited consolidated basis, the liability for capital repayments under PFI contracts was £32 billion.
	The Government will publish Whole of Government Accounts annually, including PFI liabilities.

HM Revenue and Customs

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer pursuant to the answer of 17 May 2012, Official Report, column 301W, on revenue and customs, 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the proportion of callers who will be able to access the information required from the HM Revenue and Customs helpline without having to wait to speak to an adviser;
	(2)  when he expects further options to be added to automated processes on HM Revenue and Customs helplines to reduce the number of customers who have to wait to speak to an adviser.

David Gauke: HMRC plans to begin to enhance the automated solutions available to callers during 2012-13.
	In 2011-12 around 19% of calls were handled by automated messaging, with no need for the customer to call back or hold to speak to an adviser.
	Once the enhanced automated solutions begin to be introduced HMRC expects the proportion of callers able to access the information required from the HM Revenue and Customs helpline without having to wait to speak to an adviser to increase further.

HM Revenue and Customs

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many investigators HM Revenue and Customs employed in each month of the last five years.

David Gauke: HMRC primarily uses the term ‘investigator’ for staff employed within two specific business areas: Specialist Investigations (SI) and Criminal Investigations (CI). The total numbers of staff within SI and CI are:
	
		
			 As at: 1 April 2008 1 April 2009 31 March 2010 31 March 2011 31 March 2012 
			 SI 1,948 1,506 1,563 1,521 1,424 
		
	
	
		
			 CI 1,810 2,052 1,828 1,862 2,222 
		
	
	HMRC produces Staff in Post data on a ‘point in time’ basis. From March 2010 the reporting point changed from the first day of April to the last day of March.
	These figures do not relate purely to ‘investigators’; they are for all staff at all grades in SI and CI who are involved, to a lesser or greater degree, in aspects of investigation, compliance or law enforcement within those business areas.
	A disaggregated breakdown of these data is only available at a disproportionate cost.
	These figures do not cover all HMRC staff engaged in investigation, compliance or law enforcement activities. Within HMRC compliance and investigation work is primarily carried out by staff in the Enforcement and Compliance line of business. The numbers of staff employed (full-time equivalent) by Enforcement and Compliance over the last five years are:
	
		
			 As at: Staff in HMRC Enforcement and Compliance 
			 1 April 2008 27,172 
			 1 April 2009 32,243 
			 31 March 2010 26,863 
			 31 March 2011 25,475 
			 31 March 2012 25,334 
		
	
	The figures above include the staff numbers for SI and CI as they are part of Enforcement and Compliance.

HM Revenue and Customs

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how much HM Revenue and Customs paid in compensation to (a) individuals and (b) organisations following errors it has made in each of the last five years.

David Gauke: HMRC does not distinguish payments made to individual customers from those made to businesses.

HM Revenue and Customs

David Hanson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he expects the Chief Executive of HM Revenue and Customs to respond to the letters of (a) 21 February 2012, (b) 20 March 2012 and (c) 9 May 2012 from the right hon. Member for Delyn regarding Mr D Whale of Mold, Flintshire.

David Gauke: HMRC replied to a letter dated 9 January 2012 on 23 April 2012 and considered that this also replied to the letters dated 21 February 2012 and 20 March 2012. The letter dated 9 May 2012 was replied to on 13 July 2012.

HM Revenue and Customs

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library copies of all internal audit recommendations made in relation to HM Revenue and Customs in the last five years.

David Gauke: HMRC is unable to provide the information requested without disproportionate cost.

HM Revenue and Customs

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer by what means staff are surveyed in (a) HM Revenue and Customs and (b) his Department; and on what dates the results of the next such survey will be made public.

David Gauke: HMRC and HM Treasury conduct an annual people survey as part of a civil service wide survey co-ordinated by the Cabinet Office.
	Staff are invited to take part by completing an online questionnaire which canvasses their views on how they feel about working in their Departments.
	Cabinet Office guidance indicated the 2012 people survey will open on 1 October 2012 and close on 31 October 2012.
	The Cabinet Office determines the date by which all departments must publish their results externally but this date has not yet been decided.

Taxation: Offshore Industry

David Anderson: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what estimate he has made of the cost to the Exchequer of providing decommissioning relief deeds to the oil industry.

Chloe Smith: At Budget 2012 the Government announced that it will introduce legislation in 2013 giving it statutory authority to sign contracts with companies operating in the UK and UK Continental Shelf, to provide assurance on the relief they will receive when decommissioning assets.
	The Government committed to consult further on the form and detail of such contracts, and on 9 July published a consultation document on its proposal for Decommissioning Relief Deeds:
	http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/consult_decommissioning_relief_deeds_090712.pdf
	This measure is expected to lead to additional investment and production, increasing Exchequer revenues. The Exchequer effects of providing greater certainty on decommissioning relief are set out at line 9 of Table 2.1 of the Red Book:
	http://cdn.hm-treasury.gov.uk/budget2012_chapter2.pdf

Taxation: Olympic Games 2012

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will encourage all companies operating as part of the London 2012 Olympics to voluntarily pay tax to the UK on profits arising from the Olympics; what discussions he has had with the Secretary of State for Culture, Media, Olympics and Sport on the payment of tax in relation to the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow; and if he will make a statement.

David Gauke: The intention of the bidding conditions set out by the International Olympic Committee is that taxation should not be a consideration in any bid to host an Olympic and Paralympic games. The UK will comply with the commitments required to meet these conditions.
	Athletes resident outside of the UK who compete at the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth games will be exempt from UK income tax relating to their performance at the games.
	Treasury Ministers and officials have meetings and discussions with a wide variety of authorities as part of the process of policy development and delivery. As was the case with previous administrations, it is not the Government's practice to provide details of all such meetings and discussions.

Tobacco: Packaging

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what assessment his Department has made of the financial effects on the Exchequer of any change in the level of illicit or counterfeit tobacco products resulting from the introduction of plain cigarette packaging.

Chloe Smith: The information is not currently available. The consultation on plain cigarette packaging has been extended until 10 August 2012. HMRC will consider the responses to inform the assessment of the impact of plain packaging on the Exchequer and on the illicit trade.

Trade Union Officials

Priti Patel: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many days were used by trade union representatives in HM Revenue and Customs for facility time in (a) 2010-11 and (b) 2011-12; and what estimate he has made of the total cost to the public purse of the associated salary costs.

David Gauke: holding answer 18 June 2012
	In 2010-11, 41,045 days were used by unions representatives in HMRC for facility time, with an estimated salary cost to the department of £4,361,736. In 2011-12, 38,870 days were used, with an estimated cost to the department of £4,149,734.
	The Cabinet Office has been undertaking a review into how much paid time civil servants should be allowed as facility time. HMRC has participated fully in this review and a formal consultation between the civil service and the trade unions was launched on 13 July.

VAT

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer how many applications for VAT registration submitted in the last 12 months took over (a) one, (b) two, (c) three, (d) four, (e) five, (f) six, (g) seven, (h) eight, (i) nine, (j) 10, (k) 11 and (l) 12 weeks to clear.

David Gauke: HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) aims to issue VAT registration numbers as quickly as possible, while protecting the VAT system from fraud. It is necessary to balance the speed of registration against the need to risk assess applications and carry out necessary checks to safeguard against fraud.
	HMRC does not collect and maintain statistics on the processing of VAT registration applications to the level of detail requested. HMRC does hold figures for the percentage of applications processed within 10 calendar days and 60 working days.
	In 2011-12, 81.3% of applications were processed within 10 calendar days. During the same time frame, HMRC processed 98.6% of applications within 60 working days.

VAT: Further and Higher Education

Paul Blomfield: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the Exchequer of exempting all commercial providers of further education from VAT;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the annual cost to the Exchequer of exempting commercial providers of higher education from VAT; and how much of the cost is accounted for by each provider type;
	(3)  what progress he has made on his review of exempting commercial universities from VAT.

David Gauke: No estimates have been made.
	Further to the announcement made at Budget 2012, HMRC officials have been working with officials in the Department for Business Innovation and Skills on the review of the VAT exemption for providers of education, in particular at university degree level, to ensure that commercial universities are treated fairly.

Welfare Tax Credits

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what proportion of (a) child tax credits and (b) working tax credits were paid in error to claimants in (i) Coventry, (ii) the west midlands and (iii) England in each of the last five years.

David Gauke: holding answer 10 July 2012
	This information is not available.

Welfare Tax Credits: Fraud

Jessica Morden: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer what the commencement date was for use of Experian data to detect fraud in tax credits in (a) the UK and (b) Wales.

David Gauke: HMRC has been using Experian data to detect tax credits fraud in the whole of the UK (including Wales) since 5 December 2011.

Written Questions: Government Responses

Christopher Leslie: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer when he plans to answer questions (a) 115719, (b) 115718, (c) 115717 and (d) 115715, tabled on 3 July 2012 for answer on 6 July 2012.

Mark Hoban: These questions were answered on 12 July 2012, Official Report, column 384W.

CABINET OFFICE

Breast Cancer

Mike Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office if he will publish (a) one and (b) five year survival rates for breast cancer patients aged (i) 49 years and under, (ii) 50 to 59, (iii) 60 to 69, (iv) 70 to 79, (v) 80 to 89 and (vi) over 90 years in each (A) cancer network and (B) primary care trust area in each year since 1997.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012
	.
	ONS publish one-year and five-year cancer survival estimates for adults (aged 15-99). Survival is calculated from the date of diagnosis.
	The latest (a) one-year and (b) five-year survival estimates for women diagnosed with breast cancer for (A) cancer networks in England are for patients diagnosed in 1996-2009 and followed up to 2010. These figures are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/cancer-unit/cancer-survival-by-cancer-network/index.html
	One-year survival estimates are presented for four time periods (1996, 2001, 2005 and 2009), and five-year survival estimates are presented for three time periods (1996, 2001 and 2005), for persons aged 15-99 years.
	Survival estimates for breast cancer are not available for (B) primary care trusts in England.
	
		
			 Table 1. One-year and five-year relative survival (percentage), with 95 per cent confidence intervals, for females (aged 15-99 years) diagnosed with breast cancer In England, by age group and period of diagnosis(1,2,3,4) 
			  One-year survival Five-year survival 
			 Standardisation/age group % 95% confidence intervals % 95% confidence intervals 
			 Women diagnosed during 2000-04, followed up to 2005:       
			 Age-standardised 94.4 94.3 94.5 81.1 80.8 81.5 
			 Unstandardised 95.7 95.6 95.8 83.7 83.4 84.0 
			 15-39 97 97 98 80 79 81 
			 40-49 98 98 98 86 85 86 
			 50-59 98 98 98 88 88 89 
			 60-69 96 96 97 86 86 87 
			 70-79 92 91 92 77 76 78 
		
	
	
		
			 80-99 83 83 84 61 60 63 
			        
			 Women diagnosed during 2001-06, followed up to 2007:       
			 Age-standardised 94.9 94.8 95.0 82.0 81.8 82.3 
			 Unstandardised 96.1 96.0 96.2 84.5 84.3 84.8 
			 15-39 98 97 98 81 80 82 
			 40-49 98 98 98 86 86 87 
			 50-59 98 98 98 89 88 89 
			 60-69 97 97 97 87 86 87 
			 70-79 92 92 93 78 77 78 
			 80-99 85 84 85 64 62 65 
			        
			 Women diagnosed during 2003-07, followed up to 2008:       
			 Age-standardised 95.4 95.3 95.5 83.3 83.0 83.6 
			 Unstandardised 96.5 96.4 96.7 85.8 85.5 86.1 
			 15-39 98 98 98 82 81 83 
			 40-49 98 98 98 87 86 88 
			 50-59 98 98 98 90 89 90 
			 60-69 97 97 98 88 88 89 
			 70-79 93 93 93 79 78 80 
			 80-99 86 85 86 66 64 67 
			        
			 Women diagnosed during 2004-08, followed up to 2009:       
			 Age-standardised 95.6 95.5 95.7 84.2 83.9 84.6 
			 Unstandardised 96.7 96.6 96.8 86.6 86.4 86.9 
			 15-39 98 98 98 83 81 84 
			 40-49 98 98 99 88 88 89 
			 50-59 98 98 98 90 90 90 
			 60-69 98 97 98 89 89 90 
			 70-79 93 93 94 80 79 81 
			 80-99 86 86 87 67 66 69 
			        
			 Women diagnosed during 2005-09, followed up to 2010:       
			 Age-standardised 95.8 95.7 95.9 85.1 84.8 85.4 
			 Unstandardised 96.9 96.8 97.0 87.4 87.2 87.7 
			 15-39 98 98 98 84 82 85 
			 40-49 98 98 99 89 89 90 
			 50-59 98 98 98 90 90 91 
			 60-69 98 98 98 90 90 91 
			 70-79 94 93 94 81 80 82 
			 80-99 87 87 88 69 67 70 
			 (1) Relative survival is the probability of survival (shown here as a percentage) after correction far other causes of death. (2) Because cancer survival varies with age at diagnosis, the summary survival estimates for all ages combined (15-99 years) have been age-standardised, where possible, to control for changes in the age profile of cancer patients over time. (3) Breast cancer is defined by the International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision (1CD-10) code C50. (4) Confidence intervals are a measure of the statistical precision of an estimate and show the range of uncertainty around the estimated figure. As a general rule, If the confidence interval around one figure overlaps with the interval around another, we cannot say with certainty that there is more than a chance difference between the two figures.

Breast Cancer

Mike Hancock: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many women aged (a) 49 years and under, (b) 50 to 59, (c) 60 to 69, (d) 70 to 79, (e) 80 to 89 and (f) over 90 years were diagnosed with breast cancer in each (i) cancer network and (ii) primary care trust area in each year since 1997.

Nick Hurd: The information requested falls within the responsibility of the UK Statistics Authority. I have asked the Authority to reply.
	Letter from Stephen Penneck, dated July 2012
	As Director General for the Office for National Statistics, I have been asked to reply to your recent question asking how many women aged (a) 49 years and under, (b) 50 to 59, (c) 60 to 69, (d) 70 to 79, (e) 80 to 89 and (f) over 90 years were diagnosed with breast cancer in each (i) cancer network and (ii) primary care trust in each year since 1997 for which data are available.
	The latest available figures for newly diagnosed cases of cancer (incidence) are for the year 2010. Please note that these numbers may not be the same as the number of women diagnosed with breast cancer, because a woman may be diagnosed with more than one primary breast cancer.
	Information is not readily available in the form requested and could only be obtained (compiled) at disproportionate cost however.
	Table 1 provides the number of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in women by the age groups (a) 49 years and under, (b) 50 to 59, (c) 60 to 69, (d) 70 to 79, (e) 80 to 89 and (f) over 90 years, for cancer networks in England, for the years 1997 to 2010 combined.
	Table 2 provides the number of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in women by year of registration for cancer networks in England, for each of the years from 1997 to 2010.
	Table 3 provides the number of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in women by the age groups (a) 49 years and under, (b) 50 to 59, (c) 60 to 69, (d) 70 to 79, (e) 80 to 89 and (f) over 90 years, for primary care organisations in England, for the years 1997 to 2010 combined.
	Table 4 provides the number of newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in women by year of registration for primary care organisations in England, for each of the years from 1997 to 2010.
	Copies of Tables 1 to 4 have been placed in the House of Commons library.
	The latest published figures on the incidence of cancer in England are available on the National Statistics website at:
	http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/vsob1/cancer-statistics-registrations--england--series-mb1-/index.html

Charity Commission

Simon Kirby: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  if he will give powers to the Charity Commission to allow it to intervene more easily where an allegation of wrongdoing within a charity is made;
	(2)  whether his recent discussions with the Chief Executive of the Charity Commission have included discussion of the Commission's powers to investigate allegations of wrongdoing.

Francis Maude: The Charity Commission already has substantial powers of intervention including, in extreme cases, powers of entry and suspension of trustees. Information relating to internal discussion and advice is not normally disclosed.

Civil Servants: Training

Michael Fallon: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what plans he has to encourage the development of finance skills in the civil service.

Francis Maude: holding answer 16 July 2012
	For too long the civil service has lacked finance skills. The Civil Service Reform Plan, published on 19 June 2012, notes that we will produce by the autumn, for the first time, a five-year capabilities plan for the whole civil service. This plan will identify which skills and capabilities are in deficit, and set out how gaps will be filled. In addition, the plan notes that:
	“financial management across the civil service needs to be further strengthened, and the finance functions in departments and agencies given greater authority.”
	This will be accomplished primarily through the Finance Transformation Programme (FTP).

Electronic Government

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what the cost to the public purse was of the (a) government.uk and (b) directgov website in the latest period for which figures are available.

Francis Maude: The budget for 2011/12 and the financial year to date of the Gov.uk alpha and beta sites is approximately £4.6 million.
	The cost to the public purse of the directgov website in the latest period for which figures are available (2010/11) is £21.392 million. This is published on the Cabinet Office website at:
	http://www.cabinetoffice.gov.uk/sites/default/files/resources/reporting-on-website-progress-Oct2011.pdf
	Moving departmental websites on to Gov.uk will, in due course, realise significant savings for the taxpayer.

Ex Gratia Payments

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what estimate his Department has made of the monetary value of ex gratia payments made through schemes administered by his Department over the last two years.

Francis Maude: The value of ex gratia payments made by the Cabinet Office over the last two years totalled £25,355.33.

ICT

Alun Cairns: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many iPads are owned by his Department; and whether these devices are accredited to Business Level Impact Level 3.

Francis Maude: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The Cabinet Office has purchased 13 iPads for official use. All these devices are unclassified. The iPads are used to support trials and various projects, particularly when it is cheaper than using a dedicated laptop.

Internet: Regulation

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what recent discussions he has had with international partners on promoting consensus on what constitutes acceptable behaviour in cyberspace; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: Last November the London Conference initiated a global conversation on the future of the internet and how we might establish certain norms of behaviour in cyberspace. This dialogue will continue at the Budapest Conference on Cyberspace in October, which I plan to attend, and in South Korea in 2013.
	The UK is playing an active role in many international fora including at the United Nations Group of Government Experts. We are also building a network of bilateral cyber relationships with partners developing and promoting the benefits of confidence building measures as part of the discussions regarding norms of behaviour.

NDPBs: Public Appointments

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office what representations his Department has received from the chairs and officers of non-departmental public bodies on the time taken for appointments and reappointments to those bodies.

Francis Maude: No central record is held.

Orders and Regulations

Angus Robertson: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many statutory instruments were (a) made, (b) repealed and (c) amended in each of the last five years.

Francis Maude: Details of statutory instruments are published on:
	www.legislation.gov.uk

Public Sector Pay

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff working for his Department, its Executive agencies and non-departmental public bodies are employed through off-payroll engagements costing less than £58,200 per annum; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: Since 2010 the Cabinet Office has applied strict controls on the engagement of consultants, interim managers and specialist contractors who may not be engaged without prior approval from the Cabinet Office Approvals Board.
	Approval is only given to engage contractors and agency staff if a case can be made that shows that the use of such non-payroll resource is “operationally necessary”, could not be fulfilled by an existing civil servant, and offers value for money.
	Annual expenditure by the Cabinet Office on consultancy fell dramatically in 2011-12 and in 2010-11 expenditure was around a third of what it was in 2009-10. Expenditure on temporary staff was also reduced by more than 40%.
	The Cabinet Office has 35 contractors and agency staff whose contracts are expected to cost less than £58,200. Of these, seven are expected to cease over the course of the next few months, and the rest remain under review.
	Sometimes there is a requirement for a contractor with specific knowledge and expertise to be engaged for a longer period to see through a big project—just as any private sector organisation would do. It makes sense, under these circumstances, to use a contractor when the alternative would be to recruit a permanent employee which would incur more ongoing, longer-term cost to the taxpayer.

Permanent Secretaries

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office pursuant to the question following the statement made on 19 June 2012, Official Report, columns 743-6 on civil service reform, by what date the objectives for permanent secretaries will be published; how often such objectives will be updated; how many permanent secretaries in operational roles have two or more years commercial or operational experience.

Francis Maude: holding answer 3 July 2012
	Permanent secretaries' objectives will be published shortly and updated periodically. Information on permanent secretaries' professional experience will also be published shortly.

Press Officers

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how much was claimed in reimbursable expenses by press officers in his Department, its agencies and arm's-length bodies since May 2010.

Francis Maude: holding answer 11 June 2012
	This information is not normally held centrally in the form requested.

Public Sector: Mobile Phones

Alun Cairns: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office whether he has made any contingency plans for the event that a supplier of mobile devices to the public sector is acquired by a company which is not considered to be an appropriate supplier for the public sector.

Francis Maude: Contingency plans for the event that a supplier is acquired by another company should be covered by the appropriate contract management arrangements of any given contract.
	The Cabinet Office recommends that contracts include a clause specifying that:
	“the Contractor shall not assign, sub-contract or in any other way dispose of the Contract or any part of it without prior Approval”;
	and allows termination of the contract in the event of a change of control.

Public Sector: Procurement

Gordon Banks: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office 
	(1)  what mechanisms exist to prevent contractors for public sector projects from revising their initially proposed payment figures to subcontractors upon completion of a project;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to prevent incomplete payments from being made by construction industry contractors working on public sector projects.

Francis Maude: The Government are increasingly making use of Project Bank Accounts, which ensure that subcontractors down to at least tier 3 of supply chains are paid directly and promptly.
	Where Project Bank Accounts are not used, the requirement for contractors to pay their subcontractors within 30 days—in line with the Government's Prompt Payment Code—is specified in contract terms.
	We are also encouraging subcontractors to use the “Mystery Shopper” service to report instances to us where this is not happening. We regularly publish details of investigated cases on the Cabinet Office website.

Secondment

Kelvin Hopkins: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office with reference to the answer of 15 March 2012, Official Report, column 382W, on Government Departments: secondment, whether any staff are supplied to his Department without charge by (a) KPMG, (b) Ernst and Young, (c) PWC and (d) any other firms; and what the (i) function, (ii) grade and (iii) level of security clearance is of any such staff in each case.

Francis Maude: For the period 1 April 2011 to 30 June 2012 Cabinet Office has not been supplied with any unpaid staff from KPMG, Ernst and Young or PricewaterhouseCoopers.
	We have 10 secondees from other organisations on a free of charge basis. They are filling posts at SCSI to B2 level, in placements ranging from one month to 12 months. These include secondments as part of the Commercial Interchange Programme which was launched in 2011 as part of a suite of measures to improve commercial capability within Government through an exchange of skills and knowledge with the private sector.
	All secondees are security cleared to the level required for the work being undertaken.

Senior Civil Servants: Pay

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office when he plans to publish the list of senior civil servants earning more than £150,000.

Francis Maude: Further to my answer of 24 April 2012, a list will be published later this year. Such information was not publicly available prior to 2010.

Staff

Michael Dugher: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office which individuals the Minister without Portfolio recommended to provide assistance organising outreach events during her visit to Pakistan in July 2010.

Francis Maude: I refer the hon. Member to the report of the Prime Minister's Independent Adviser on Minister's Interests published on 27 June 2012, a copy of which is available in the Library of the House.

Staff

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Minister for the Cabinet Office how many staff of his Department were in the civil service redeployment pool on the latest date for which figures are available; and how many of these had been in the redeployment pool for more than six months at that date.

Francis Maude: As at 30 June 2012 there were two staff in the redeployment pool in the Cabinet Office and its non-departmental public bodies. These staff are allocated to short-term critical projects.

INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT

Commonwealth Development Corporation

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what guidance his Department has issued to CDC on the reporting of corruption allegations.

Stephen O'Brien: CDC takes all allegations of corruption seriously and complies with all relevant legal requirements. CDC has issued detailed business integrity policies and procedures to all employees, alongside ongoing training. This ensures that CDC's commitment to integrity and legal compliance is followed, including procedures dealing with anti-corruption, anti-bribery, anti-money laundering and other important matters. CDC also has a team with dedicated personnel responsible for monitoring and addressing corruption compliance issues. CDC regularly reports to DFID on all such matters.
	DFID worked with CDC to develop a new complaints mechanism. This allows those who have been negatively affected by a breach in CDC's Investment Code to complain directly to CDC. The Investment Code has a governance section which includes corruption and anti-bribery. CDC investigates these complaints and, if eligible, seeks a solution that addresses the complaint as quickly as possible.

Developing Countries: Education

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment he has made of the effect of his Department's expenditure on developing countries on the number of children attending school.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development's 2012 Annual Report shows that UK investments are supporting 5.3 million children in primary education and 600,000 in lower secondary in developing countries. Over the comprehensive spending review period the UK has pledged to support 9 million children in primary school, over half of whom will be girls, and 2 million in lower secondary. We have also launched a new Girls' Education Challenge, which will galvanise innovation in the non-state sector to support up to an additional 1 million of the world's poorest girls through a full cycle of schooling.
	The quality of education remains very low in many countries. We are therefore prioritising quality as well as access to education in all our programmes. We have committed to measure reading fluency in the early years and we have helped to train 90,000 teachers to improve the quality of education and assist children's learning.

Developing Countries: Education

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department (a) is taking and (b) plans to take to work with the private sector to deliver education for poor people in developing countries; and what (i) current and (ii) proposed initiatives will be supported or funded by his Department's country programmes.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) works to get the best possible outcomes for the poor. Over the comprehensive spending review period the UK has pledged to support 9 million children in primary school, over half of whom will be girls, and 2 million in lower secondary. DFID's 2012 annual report shows that we are currently supporting 5.3 million children in primary education and 600,000 in lower secondary. We take a pragmatic, non-ideological stance on how services should be delivered. In addition to our extensive support to public sector delivery of education, we also support non-state education providers, including the low-cost private sector.
	In September 2011, the UK launched the Girls' Education Challenge (GEC) which will galvanise innovation in the non-state sector to support up to an additional 1 million of the world's poorest girls through a full cycle of schooling. The GEC is developing strategic partnerships with the corporate sector to incentivise investment in girl's education including new ways to improve the quality of teaching and learning for girls. DFID is currently working on the design of a global, public and free internet database. This will profile non-state education programmes with a view to facilitating the scale-up of non-state education innovations for poor people. DFID is also developing programmes to support quality, non-state education provision in four countries. In Pakistan DFID plans to support up to 200,000 children in low cost private schools in Sindh Province. In India an additional 13,000 children in slums will be reached with DFID support to the non-state provider “Gyan Shala”. DFID-Nigeria is developing a programme to improve the functioning of the Lagos education market, with a provisional target of reaching 380,000 children. DFID-Kenya plans to launch a new programme to research the constraints on low-cost private schools and to help the private education sector meet the needs of poor people.

Developing Countries: Poliomyelitis

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to the 65th World Health Assembly, what plans he has to meet non-governmental organisations and charities to discuss the intensification of the global polio eradication initiative.

Stephen O'Brien: The Department for International Development (DFID) is a major contributor to the global polio eradication initiative and remains firmly committed to polio eradication. In January 2011 at the World Economic Forum in Davos, the Prime Minister pledged an additional £40 million for 2011-12, effectively doubling our contribution last year and this.
	DFID is actively engaged in polio eradication efforts and meets regularly with partners to discuss issues. DFID is considering its support from 2013.

Food: Prices

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assessment his Department has made of the effects on health and well-being of (a) young children and (b) others of temporary food price spikes.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK's Future of Food and Farming report (2011) showed that high and volatile food prices threaten good nutrition. Pregnant women and young children are at greatest risks as their nutritional needs are higher. High prices directly impact on the poor who purchase most of their food as they have to spend more on staple foods, making more nutritious foods unaffordable.
	The specific effects of temporary food price spikes on health and well-being of young children and others is difficult to measure. The UK is working with partners in the G8 and the G20 to address food price volatility, including a global market information system supported by the G20, programmes to improve regional food markets and trade; and investments in smallholder agriculture in many parts for Africa and Asia to improve availability of food at affordable prices.

Kenya

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development with reference to his Operational Plan for Kenya 2011-15, what evidence he used to reach his conclusion that private schools are the most cost-effective way to get out-of-school children into the classroom in slum areas with limited state schooling capacity.

Stephen O'Brien: A study by the Department for International Development has shown that there are at least 300,000 children in low-cost private schools for the poor in Kenya, most of which are located in or around the many urban slums in Kenya's larger towns and cities. The study also showed that low-cost private schools typically charge around £30 per year for each student, considerably less than the £70 or so that it costs to educate a child in a state school according to Government of Kenya figures. Data from the Kenyan Ministry of Education further show that schools in urban centres are already more than full, and would require substantial expansion to accommodate these additional children, which would take several years

Overseas Aid

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what steps his Department takes to monitor the effectiveness of poverty reduction programmes delivered by private sector development and funded through decentralised spending decisions.

Stephen O'Brien: All of the Department for International Development's (DFID's) programmes—including private sector programmes funded through country offices—are subject to a rigorous monitoring process. DFID uses a value for money framework to assess the effectiveness and efficiency of all projects, with specific indicators determined on a case-by-case basis. All proposals for DFID funding must be accompanied by a business case. This is the main record of the proposal, summarising value for money considerations and intended results. Indicators for tracking effectiveness are included in the logical framework, which is an annex to the business case. DFID's monitoring and evaluation processes include an annual review against the indicators in the logical framework and require an assessment of whether a project remains good value for money. The project database (projects.dfid.gov.uk/) provides access to business cases, logical frameworks and annual reviews.
	Further information on how we measure progress against our objectives is available on the DFID website
	http://www.dfid.gov.uk/About-us/How-we-measure-progress/

Overseas Aid

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what criteria will be used to evaluate the performance of each of his Department's proposed cash-on-delivery aid programmes; and who will evaluate those programmes.

Stephen O'Brien: We have designed three payment by results (PBR) (also known as cash on delivery) pilots and independent evaluation is built in to each of these to learn from this innovative approach. The evaluations are tailored to the individual pilots. The key criterion to evaluate performance is whether PBR leads to additional results. In addition the evaluations will look at how PBR works, in order that we can apply lessons to future design and implementation.
	Independent contractors are hired to evaluate each of our pilots: Cambridge Education for our Ethiopia pilot and the Liverpool Associates in Tropical Health for our pilot in northern Uganda. We are in the process of contracting an independent evaluator for our Rwanda pilot.

Overseas Aid

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what estimate he has made of the likely cost of each of his Department's proposed cash-on-delivery aid programmes.

Stephen O'Brien: The cost of each of the Department for International Development's payment by results (also known as cash on delivery) pilot programmes is as follows:
	
		
			 Programme Total programme cost £ million 
			 Ethiopia 30 
			 Rwanda 9 
			 Northern Uganda 8 
			 Independent evaluations (1)— 
			 (1)Up to £1.5 million per programme. 
		
	
	As we only pay for results, the final cost of each pilot will depend upon the results achieved.
	The cost of each of these pilots is relatively small to allow us to test payment by results and understand how it works before we scale it up.

South Sudan

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what assistance the Government are giving to the Government of South Sudan on (a) malnutrition and (b) hygiene.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK is committed to helping deliver health care to the people of South Sudan. Our development goals in South Sudan over the next three years will give over 469,000 people access to clean water and sanitation; help 250,000 people get enough food to eat; and enable 2 million people receive life-saving health care and nutrition. In addition, the UK is a key supporter of the current humanitarian response in South Sudan, contributing £15 million to the Common Humanitarian Fund which will help to provide clean water for 130,000 people. We have also allocated £10 million to the World Food Programme to help feed 100,000 people through the hunger gap period this year.
	In the health facilities supported by the UK's contribution to the Basic Services Fund, we run programmes to educate people about the importance of hygiene; 23,000 people were reached in 2010-11. This programme is also extended to children attending local schools.

Sub-Saharan Africa

Tony Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development what his policy is on support or funding for low-cost private schools in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Stephen O'Brien: The UK Government take a pragmatic, non-ideological stance on how services should be delivered. The Department for International Development (DFID) supports private sector education providers where we believe they will increase choice, equity, value for money, and learning outcomes. Support to non-state education providers complements the UK's extensive support to public sector delivery of education. In Nigeria, for example, we are researching the educational choices of low income parents, with a view to improving low-cost private education alongside existing UK support to reform the public education sector. We are also currently developing a low-cost private sector education programme in Kenya.
	From 2011-15, the UK will support 9 million children in primary school, over half of whom will be girls, and 2 million in lower secondary school. In addition, DFID has launched a new Girls' Education Challenge, which will galvanise innovation in the non-state sector to support up to an additional 1 million of the world's poorest girls through a full cycle of schooling.

UN Women

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for International Development 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with his overseas counterparts on encouraging the international community to meet the resource and funding shortage for UN Women;
	(2)  what recent assessment he has made of the performance of UN Women against the four priorities set out in the Multilateral Aid Review; and what consequent decisions he has taken on the level of future UK funding for that organisation;
	(3)  against which criteria his Department plans to assess the performance of UN Women in advance of taking a decision on whether to continue funding that organisation beyond 2015;
	(4)  what his policy is on future UK financial support for UN Women.

Stephen O'Brien: The Multilateral Aid Review (MAR) identified four key priority reform areas for UN Women: delivery of programmes at country level; results management; transparency; and cost effectiveness. The Department for International Development will review progress against these reform priorities in 2013. This review will determine the level of funding for 2013-14 and 2014-15. In addition, we regularly monitor progress with UN Women on follow-up to the MAR.
	We will continue to fund UN Women up till 2015, based on its ability to perform, but beyond that no decision has been taken.
	The UN Women annual report notes that in 2011, contributions to UN Women totalled $235 million, representing a 33% increase from 2011. Despite missing its 2011 funding targets this shows a real commitment to UN Women by other donors. We continue to work closely with UN Women and other donors to ensure it is as effective an organisation as it can be.

HEALTH

NHS: Financial Stability

Sarah Newton: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to ensure the financial sustainability of NHS organisations.

Andrew Lansley: We are working directly with all NHS trusts to enable them to achieve foundation trust status, in the main by April 2014. To achieve foundation trust status will mean NHS trusts have achieved sustainable, high levels of clinical quality and financial governance.

Reconfiguration: South-east London

Clive Efford: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was to South London Healthcare NHS Trust of the delay in implementing the proposals contained in the “A Picture of Health” consultation on the reconfiguring of local health services in south-east London.

Simon Burns: Implementation of “A Picture of Health” has not been subject to delay. Between May and December 2010, NHS London carried out a thorough review of the proposals against the Secretary of State’s “four tests” that all reconfiguration schemes must meet.

NHS Walk-in Centres

David Crausby: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS walk-in centres have (a) closed and (b) reduced their opening hours since May 2010.

Simon Burns: Since 2007, the local NHS has been responsible for NHS walk-in centres. It is for primary care trusts to decide locally on the availability of these services. No information is held centrally.

PFI Contracts

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will estimate the proportion of the PFI negotiations agreed prior to 2010 that have led to unsustainable contractual obligations being placed on NHS hospitals.

Andrew Lansley: From 2012-13, we are providing the seven worst affected trusts with PFI scheme access to a £1.5 billion support fund over a period of 25 years directly from the Department.

Patient Outcomes

Simon Hughes: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress the NHS is making in improving outcomes for patients; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Lansley: Since last December, we have published data against 34 indicators in the NHS Outcomes Framework. Where trend data are available, the majority of indicators suggest performance has been maintained or improved. This includes MRSA infections down by 25% and C difficile infections down by 17% in 2011-12 compared with 2010-11.

Absenteeism

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the absenteeism rate was in his Department in each of the last three years.

Simon Burns: The total number and the average number of days lost to sickness in the Department, for each of the last three calendar years, are shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Calendar year Total number of (working) absence days due to sickness Average working days lost per staff year due to sickness 
			 2009 11,262 4.6 
			 2010 11,810 4.5 
			 2011 9,962 4.1

Cancer

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment his Department has made of the effects of removing its support services from cancer networks on the delivery of their functions;
	(2)  what assessment has been made of the effects on existing cancer networks of the restructuring of clinical networks;
	(3)  what funding from the main NHS programme budget was allocated to cancer networks in (a) 2009-10, (b) 2010-11 and (c) 2011-12.

Paul Burstow: Funding to support cancer networks is mainly provided through what is called the Strategic Health Authority (SHA) bundle. In addition to funding from the bundle, networks receive funding from other sources, such as their constituent primary care trusts or from one or more of their provider trusts. The amounts included in the SHA bundle for cancer networks for 2009-10, 2010-11, 2011-12 and 20012-13 can be found in the following table.
	
		
			  Cancer Network Funding (£ million) 
			 2009-10 18.3 
			 2010-11 18.5 
			 2011-12 18.5 
		
	
	These allocations are based on estimates of the funding required to deliver cancer networks. However, it is for each SHA to determine how the total amount they receive in the SHA bundle is allocated to specific services, such as cancer networks, taking into account the needs of local populations.
	We have already made clear that there is an important role for clinical networks, such as cancer networks, in the reformed national health service. The cancer networks are a clear example of how this way of working delivers improved outcomes for patients. That is why we announced in May 2011 that we would continue to fund cancer networks in 2012-13 and that the NHS Commissioning Board (NHS CB) would fund and host a number of strengthened strategic clinical networks in the new health system. Strategic clinical networks will be supported through network support teams covering 12 defined geographical areas. The use of shared support teams, with dedicated clinical leads, will ensure that the available resources for strategic clinical networks are used to maximum effect.
	It is expected that cancer networks will be able to make a significant contribution to driving improvements in outcomes for patients in the new health system and will made a significant contribution to achieving the goals set out in the Cancer Outcomes Strategy.
	A review of clinical networks is currently under way to consider the functions, structures and governance that will mostly effectively support commissioners to deliver improved quality and outcomes in the future. The NHS CB Authority will publish its recommendations for clinical networks later in the summer.

Cancer

Julie Hilling: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  if he will ensure that data collected by the forthcoming National Cancer Patient Experience Survey is published by equality group within tumor types;
	(2)  what progress his Department has made in providing information to commissioners on (a) the age profile of local cancer populations, (b) the outcomes and experiences of local patients by age and (c) how their performance compares with other areas; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: A major focus of activity for the National Cancer Intelligence Network (NCIN) has been the development and publication of comparative information or “profiles”. Profiles for general practitioner practices, commissioners and individual multidisciplinary teams mean that cancer services and outcomes can be benchmarked across the treatment pathway.
	The NCIN has also published a range of data reports that are providing valuable insight into cancer patient outcomes across England. These have included data on surgical resection rates, 30-day post-operative mortality after colorectal surgery, and pancreatic cancer trends in younger people. Wherever possible, all NCIN reports are published broken down by equality characteristic. All new datasets include gender, socio-economic deprivation and age, including older people and children, teenagers and young adults.
	The National Report of the 2010 Cancer Patient Experience Survey, published in December 2010, recorded the views of over 67,000 cancer patients treated across 158 trusts against over 50 scored questions. A key part of disseminating the 2010 results has been benchmarking the performance of trusts against one another. At the bespoke trust level, reports display the results for each question in the survey benchmarked against other trusts and also benchmarks by teams within trusts where numbers allowed.
	The fieldwork for the National Cancer Patient Experience Survey 2011-12 is finished and analysis is under way. Data collected from the 2011-12 National Cancer Patient Experience Survey will be published by equality group within cancer-type groupings where sufficient numbers allow, and a report will be placed on the website of our survey supplier Quality Health.
	The 2011 survey will show who has really improved and where further action is required. National and trust level reports are expected to be published later this summer.

Cancer: Drugs

Sarah Wollaston: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  how many patients in each parliamentary constituency have received access to drugs through the Cancer Drugs Fund since its creation;
	(2)  how many patients (a) under the age of five, (b) between the age of five and 10 and (c) between the age of 10 and 16 years have received access to drugs through the Cancer Drugs Fund since its creation; and what the total cost for this treatment has been.

Paul Burstow: Information on patients funded through the Cancer Drugs Fund is not collected at parliamentary constituency level. Information on the age of patients who have received cancer drugs is also not collected.

Cancer: Older People

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what progress has been made on the work led by his Department, the National Cancer Equality Initiative and Macmillan Cancer Support to test new approaches to clinical assessment for older patients;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to encourage multidisciplinary teams to undertake patient-level equity audits; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: We are working with Macmillan Cancer Support and Age UK on a £1 million programme to improve cancer care for older people. The programme will help us to deliver improved outcomes by ensuring that older people’s needs are properly assessed and met.
	The programme consists of 14 pilot sites across the country to improve intervention rates for people over 70 with cancer. The pilots are introducing new ways of assessing an older person for cancer treatment, offering short-term practical support for older people undergoing cancer treatment and addressing any age discrimination in cancer services by identifying and meeting the training needs of all professionals working with older people.
	To date, over 500 people have received assessment as part of the project. The effectiveness and feasibility of this intervention is currently being evaluated. The pilots will report back in September 2012 and the final report and recommendations will be published in December 2012.
	“Improving Outcomes: A Strategy for Cancer”, published on 12 January 2011, said that multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) are being encouraged to embed equalities into clinical practice. The National Cancer Action Team (NCAT) and the National Cancer Intelligence Network have been developing patient characteristics profiles for breast and bowel cancer MDTs, and NCAT will be working with cancer networks to develop MDT equity audits. We are aware of good progress being made by Lancashire and South Cumbria Cancer Network, who will be working closely with local clinicians to refine their patient characteristics profiles. Good practice will be shared through other cancer networks and the National Cancer Equality Initiative.
	As part of their National Cancer Peer Review Programme self-assessment, under the key theme of structure and function of the service, MDTs are requested to comment on how many patients by equality characteristic (race, age and gender) they diagnosed/treated in the previous year.

Care Homes

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps he plans to take to ensure uniform standards are achieved in the delivery of social care nationwide;
	(2)  what plans he has to improve the regulation of private care homes; and whether his plans include the setting of standards in staff training.

Paul Burstow: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England. It has key responsibility in the overall assurance of essential levels of safety and quality of health and adult social care services. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, all providers of regulated activities, including national health service and independent providers, have to be registered with the CQC and meet the 16 registration requirements setting out the essential levels of safety and quality.
	Failure to comply with the requirements is an offence, and under the 2008 Act, the CQC has a wide range of enforcement powers that it can use if the provider is not compliant.
	The registration requirements include a requirement for the registered person to have suitable arrangements in place to ensure that persons employed for the purpose of carrying on the regulated activity are appropriately supported in relation to their responsibilities, to enable them to deliver care and treatment to service users safely and to an appropriate standard including by receiving appropriate training, professional development, supervision and appraisal.
	The CQC is responsible for developing and consulting on its methodology for assessing whether providers are meeting the registration requirements and published its “Guidance About Compliance” in March 2010.
	Our White Paper, draft Bill and progress report mark the most significant Government action in over 60 years to fix a system that is fragmented, confusing and of variable quality and provision. The White Paper introduces new tools to help deliver better quality services and to improve the care that people experience, including greater transparency, with new provider quality profiles and the piloting of new care audits. It also clarifies what quality in care and support means, by setting out principles, standards, roles and responsibilities for driving up the quality of care.

Care Homes

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure that changes in local council social care budgets do not affect the supply of residential care homes.

Paul Burstow: The level of residential care provision is not determined solely by local council social care budgets. The supply of care home places is governed principally by demand, which comes from both public commissioners, such as local councils and the national health service, and private purchasers of services.
	According to the Care Quality Commission, there are approximately 18,000 care and nursing homes in England, with around 460,000 places, at present. We are informed by the NHS Information Centre that, during 2010-11 (the latest available data) the number of people receiving permanent council-supported residential care was 213,000. A further 72,000 received short-term residential care during the year.
	The remainder of places are purchased by those who fund their own care. The Department does not collect information on occupancy levels in care homes. However, independent analysts, such as Laing and Buisson, estimate there to be a national vacancy rate of around 10% in the sector at present. The Department does not envisage or expect that there will be a shortage of places.
	The Government have allocated an additional £7.2 billion by 2014-15 to councils to support the delivery of social care, plus an additional £300 million from the Care and Support White Paper. This funding, together with an ambitious programme of efficiency, should enable councils to protect people’s access to services and deliver new approaches to improving their care.

Care Homes

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will extend the protection offered to local authority arranged care recipients under the Human Rights Act 1998 to care recipients who are self-funded.

Paul Burstow: The Government's view is that all providers of publicly arranged health and social care services, including private and voluntary sector providers, should consider themselves to be bound by the duty imposed by section 6 of the Human Rights Act 1998, and not to act in a way which is incompatible with a convention right.
	Any amendment to the Human Rights Act in relation to third sector and private providers of home care, to specify explicitly that they are subject to the section 6 duty, risks casting doubt about the interpretation of the Human Rights Act in other sectors. Each time specific provision is made with respect to a particular type of body, we weaken the applicability of the general test and raise doubt about all those bodies that have not been specified explicitly in the legislation.
	The Government have established a Commission to look at how human rights are protected in the United Kingdom to see if things can be done better and in a way that reflects our traditions. The Commission is due to report by the end of this year.
	I and my noble Friend, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State (Earl Howe), are to host a round table discussion on 19 September, at which we will seek the views of key partners and stakeholders to establish how, both individually and collectively, we will work to promote and protect peoples' human rights in health and social care services.
	The round table will be a one-off event, hosted by the Department, to facilitate a discussion on the promotion and protection of the human rights of people using social care services. It will look at how Government strategy on adult social care contributes to improvements in this area.
	Partners present at the round table will identify what actions they are taking to deliver improvements in the promotion and protection of human rights. The event will focus upon the principal aim of preventing abuse of people's human rights, rather than concentrating on routes of redress once abuse has actually occurred.
	The Department will consider any recommendations made on the day and will continue to work closely with key stakeholders in this area.

Care Homes: Fees and Charges

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what information his Department holds on whether private care homes in receipt of registered nursing care contributions payments reflect such payments in the level of fees payable by self-funding residents;
	(2)  what the average weekly cost is to the NHS of NHS-funded nursing care contributions paid to residents in private nursing homes; and what steps his Department takes to monitor whether such homes use those contributions for the purpose of patient care;
	(3)  whether private care homes in receipt of registered nursing care contribution payments are reflecting such payments in the fees charged to self-funding residents.

Paul Burstow: National health service-funded nursing care is the funding contribution provided by the NHS to homes providing nursing to support the provision of nursing care by a registered nurse for those assessed as eligible. Once the need for such care is agreed, it is the responsibility of primary care trusts to pay a flat rate contribution towards these costs.
	Currently, the weekly flat rate is £108.70. However, those people assessed prior to October 2007 as being eligible for the higher rate contribution continue to qualify for this higher rate payment, currently £149.60, unless their nursing needs have diminished or ceased.
	The home must provide a written contract or statement of terms and conditions to the resident, or the resident's family, setting out how much the NHS is contributing to the nursing care of the individual concerned and how this payment reduces the fees being paid for private care. It should include the care and services covered by the fee, the level of the fees and any additional services available at extra cost. Such contracts and the charges made by care homes are a matter between providers and purchasers of care. The Department does not monitor these centrally.

Care Homes: Vetting

Steve Rotheram: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what plans he has to create an offence of not undertaking full Criminal Records Bureau checks on staff working with vulnerable people in care homes.

Paul Burstow: Providers of care homes in England are required to register with the Care Quality Commission and to meet a series of registration requirements that set the essential levels of safety and quality. Failure to comply with the essential levels is a criminal offence. Under the requirement relating to workers, service providers must have available an enhanced criminal records check for all eligible staff.
	In addition, it is a criminal offence to knowingly employ a person to work with adults in a care home who is barred by the Independent Safeguarding Authority (ISA). The ISA bars people automatically if they commit the most serious criminal offences and considers a person's criminal record when making its barring decisions.

Carers

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether he plans to place requirements on the NHS Commissioning Board to improve patient support for carers whose health is affected by their caring duties.

Paul Burstow: “Our NHS care objectives: A draft mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board” was published for consultation on 4 July. The draft mandate emphasises the importance of identifying and meeting the needs of carers, and proposes a specific objective asking the board to improve support for carers (objective 15). Annex B to the draft mandate proposes some key measures for assessing progress on the objectives, and asks for evidence that carers are supported to look after their health and well-being (annex B, page 10). The mandate will be published in the autumn of this year, and the NHS Commissioning Board will have a legal obligation to seek to meet the objectives it sets out.
	The consultation closes on 26 September. Copies of the consultation documents have already been placed in the Library, and can be found at:
	www.mandate.dh.gov.uk

Clinical Trials: Older People

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps his Department is taking to address inequalities in access to clinical trials amongst those aged 65 and over; and if he will make a statement.

Simon Burns: The Department will continue to work with partner organisations to ensure that when researchers design a clinical trial and settle the inclusion criteria, they take account of equality legislation.
	The national Age and Ageing Specialty Group which is part of the National Institute for Health Research Clinical Research Network (CRN) continues to raise the issue of arbitrary upper-age cut offs in clinical trials to help ensure those aged 65 and over are offered entry to CRN-hosted trials wherever appropriate. To highlight the importance of this, members of the group have recently published in the journal “Age and Ageing” a guide to good practice in recruiting older people into clinical research.

Community Health Services: Suffolk

Jamie Reed: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what assessment he has made of the decision to award Suffolk community health services to Serco; and whether experience of operating county-wide community health services was a qualifying criterion for organisations wishing to provide such services;
	(2)  if he will assess the comparative costs of the (a) current provider of Suffolk community health services and (b) Serco bid for those services;
	(3)  whether NHS Suffolk undertook any public consultation regarding the transfer of Suffolk community health services from the NHS to the private sector.

Simon Burns: The awarding of the contract to provide Suffolk community health services is a local decision by Suffolk Primary Care Trust (PCT), assured by the Strategic Health Authority, NHS Midlands and East. Therefore, the Department has not made an assessment of this decision. It is the responsibility of Suffolk PCT to ensure that the contract provides good value for money.
	Suffolk PCT did not undertake a public consultation because there will be no change to services. Patients will continue to receive the same high quality care.

Consultants

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what the cost was of external consultancy for each public body for which his Department is responsible in the latest period for which figures are available; for which projects such consultancy was commissioned; and what the cost of each project was.

Simon Burns: The Department submits a monthly consultancy spend tracker report to Cabinet Office Government Procurement which captures total spend information on consultancy together with information on new contracts let or extended by the Department and the arm's-length bodies and agencies for which it is responsible. This consultancy expenditure in May 2012 by the Department's arm's-length bodies and agencies is set out in the following table. The figures are based on the definition of consultancy services provided by Cabinet Office Government Procurement (formerly the Office of Government Commerce). Information on the individual projects against which this expenditure is incurred and on the spend for each project is not available. To provide that information would incur a disproportionate cost.
	
		
			 Arm's-length body or agency Expenditure in May 2012 (£) 
			 Council For Healthcare Regulatory Excellence 3,361 
			 Health and Social Care Information Centre 44,293 
			 Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority 24,258 
			 Human Tissue Authority 12,246 
			 Monitor 1,160,721 
			 National Patient Safety Agency 22,563 
			 NHS Blood and Transplant 325,592 
			 NHS Institute for Innovation and Improvement 19,968 
			 NHS Litigation Authority 20,000 
			 Food Standards Agency 0 
			 Medicine and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency 0 
			 Care Quality Commission 0

Dialysis Machines

Gordon Henderson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he is taking to improve services for dialysis patients.

Simon Burns: The Department and the NHS leadership team have funded development of a patient decision aid to support patients in making an informed decision with their clinician about which method of treatment for renal failure is best for them, including various options for dialysis. Patients should be able to change modality if a different approach becomes more appropriate.
	National health service providers of dialysis services are encouraged to have regard to the Quality Standard for Chronic Kidney Disease in Adults produced by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence and published in March 2011. The Quality Standard describes the high quality, cost-effective care that will best improve care for dialysis patients. Additionally, NHS Kidney Care is leading a number of projects aimed at embedding good practice into local services.

Workplace Flour

John McDonnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the extent, causes, treatment and prevention of health conditions arising from exposure to flour in the workplace.

Chris Grayling: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions.
	The Health and Safety Executive is responsible for the assessment of the extent, cause and prevention of occupational health conditions. Treatment is not within HSE's area of competence.
	Exposure to flour in the workplace (through inhalation and skin contact) can lead to a variety of health conditions including occupational contact dermatitis, and occupational asthma. In recent years, the majority of new cases of respiratory disease where flour was the suspected cause were occupational asthma. Further information on the extent of these conditions is available on the Health and Safety Executive's website at:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/asthma.htm
	and
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causdis/dermatitis/index.htm
	Prevention of health conditions arising from exposure to flour dust and their long-term consequences depends on reducing the risk of exposure and on the early recognition of harm. Guidance on minimising exposure to flour dust can be found at:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/asthma/bakers.htm
	Similarly, guidance on simple measures to prevent work-related contact dermatitis can be found at:
	http://www.hse.gov.uk/catering/dermatitis.htm

Fractures: Older People

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if he will include the prevention of fragility fractures in older people in his mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board. [R]

Paul Burstow: Our “NHS care objectives: A draft mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board” was published for consultation on 4 July. The draft mandate focuses on the ultimate outcomes of care that matter to patients and professionals, based on the NHS Outcomes Framework. The draft proposes to set the board stretching ambitions to improve against each of the five domains of the framework. Although we propose that the mandate avoids singling out specific clinical conditions or patient groups, in order to promote local autonomy and avoid distorting clinical priorities, the prevention of fragility fractures is relevant to several of the care objectives.
	Because serious fragility fractures are a recognised factor in early mortality, prevention is relevant to achieving the objectives set in Domain 1—Preventing people from dying prematurely. Because osteoporosis is a chronic and progressive long-term condition and good management can help prevent fragility fractures, prevention is relevant to Domain 2—Enhancing quality of life for people with long-term conditions. Because fragility fractures can occur in hospitals and other care settings, prevention is relevant to Domain 5—Treating and caring for people in a safe environment and protecting them from avoidable harm.
	The consultation on the draft mandate closes on 26 September. Copies of the consultation documents have already been placed in the Library, and can be found at:
	www.mandate.dh.gov.uk

General Practitioners: Telephone Services

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he has taken since January 2012 to ensure that GP surgeries adhere to his Department's direction prohibiting the use of telephone numbers that charge patients more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to contact the NHS.

Simon Burns: The Department issued further guidance on 23 February 2012 clarifying directions issued to national health service bodies in December 2009 on the cost of telephone calls. These directions and guidance prohibit the use of telephone numbers which charge people more than the equivalent cost of calling a geographical number to contact any part of the NHS. Where NHS bodies are charging people more, all reasonable steps should be taken to rectify this.

Health Services: Equality

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Health if his Department will issue guidance to ensure that all professional regulatory organisations review and, if necessary, revise their standards, codes of conduct and education programmes to advance equality and to ensure that age discriminatory behaviour is identified as unacceptable; and if he will make a statement.

Anne Milton: The health and care professions regulatory bodies are statutory bodies which are independent of Government. The Secretary of State for Health, my right hon. Friend the Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley), has no powers to direct the way that they undertake their functions. However, the Government intend to commence provisions of the Equality Act later this year which will prohibit age discrimination in the provision of services. Under the Equality Act, the health professions regulators will be under a duty to eliminate age discrimination and advance equality of opportunity for older people. We would expect these duties to be reflected in the way that the professional regulators undertake all of their functions, including those in respect of setting standards for regulated professionals.

Health Services: Older People

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the effect of GP commissioning on the provision of hospital services for older people.

Simon Burns: The Health and Social Care Act 2012 provides for Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) to become responsible for commissioning the majority of NHS services. CCGs will be required to involve other local health and social care professionals to understand the needs of local populations and how to work with their local populations to design care pathways and services that meet those needs.
	Health and wellbeing boards will also provide the vehicle to enable local authorities to work in partnership with CCGs and other community partners to deliver meaningful joint health and wellbeing strategies which will in turn set the local framework for commissioning of health, social care and public health, maximising the opportunities for integrating health and social care.
	This should mean that groups such as older users of hospital services experience health and care services that are better joined up and better meet their needs as individuals.

Health Services: Older People

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he expects the NHS Commissioning Board to take to ensure continuous and open communication between consultants and other medical staff and an older person's next of kin or representative.

Paul Burstow: The NHS Commissioning Board is subject to a legal obligation to publish guidance on information sharing. Best clinical practice would be to share information appropriately with all who have a “need to know”.
	It may also be helpful to explain that an independent panel of experts chaired by Dame Fiona Caldicott is conducting a review of information governance on behalf of the Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley). The Review Panel will report its findings and make recommendations to the Secretary of State for Health. The review is considering the sharing of information with third parties. One of the topic areas is the communication of patient information between consultants and medical staff (and social care staff) and next of kin, representatives or carers.
	More information can be found at the following link:
	www.caldicott2.dh.gov.uk

Health Services: Older People

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what measures he plans to propose to foster the development of positive perceptions of older people in his White Paper on social care.

Paul Burstow: The White Paper “Caring for our future: reforming care and support” was published in July 2012, following a public engagement in 2011. The need for people who receive care and support—the majority of whom are older people—to be treated with dignity and respect was a key message from the engagement, and this has been reflected by the policies in the White Paper.
	In addition to the White Paper, the Government intend to bring in a ban of age discrimination in the provision of goods and services, from October this year. There will be no exceptions to the ban in health and social care, aside from a statutory exception that allows, for example, free prescriptions. The aim is to ban unjustifiable age discrimination against people aged 18 and over when accessing services and in the exercise of public functions. Harassment related to age and victimisation is also banned. Adults of all ages will benefit from better access to services and for the first time people will have a legal right to redress from the courts if they are unjustifiably discriminated against because of age.
	In July 2011, the Equality Delivery System (EDS) was made available to the national health service. The purpose of the EDS is to drive up equality performance and embed equality into mainstream NHS business. It has been designed to help NHS organisations—in the current and new NHS structures—to meet the requirements of the public sector Equality Duty, as well as equality aspects of other duties.

Health Services: Social Services

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he expects the NHS Commissioning Board to take to ensure joined-up service provision between providers of social care and the NHS.

Paul Burstow: The Health and Social Care. Act 2012 places a duty on the Board concerning promoting integration in the way in which services are provided, where this will lead to better outcomes and reduce inequalities.
	“Our NHS care objectives: A draft mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board” was published for consultation on 4 July. The draft mandate emphasises the importance of integrated care, and proposes a specific objective asking the Board to ensure that the new commissioning system promotes and supports the integration of care (including through joint commissioning) around individuals, particularly people with dementia or other complex long-term needs (objective 13). Annex B to the draft mandate proposes some key measures for assessing progress on the objectives, and asks for evidence, for example that the Board has provided leadership and practical support for clinical commissioning groups on commissioning integrated services or that patients report more integrated care—to be measured by a new indicator in the NHS Outcomes Framework. The mandate will be published in the autumn of this year, and the NHS Commissioning Board will have a legal obligation to seek to meet the objectives it sets out. The consultation closes on 26 September. Copies of the consultation documents have already been placed in the Library, and can be found at:
	www.mandate.dh.gov.uk
	Later this year, the Government will publish a framework, co-produced with partners across the new health and care system (including the NHS Commissioning Board, Monitor, local government, patients, people who use services, and carers), that will support the removal of barriers to making evidence-based integrated care and support the norm over the next five years.

Hospitals: Waiting Lists

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many NHS patients in (a) Coventry, (b) the west midlands and (c) England waited longer than 18 weeks for treatment in each of the last five years.

Simon Burns: The information requested is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Number of patients who waited longer than 18 weeks to start treatment 
			 Provider name 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12 
			 Coventry Teaching Primary Care Trust (PCT) 8,136 3,395 3,377 3,853 
			 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority 84,320 49,298 52,285 65,237 
			 England 740,516 495,098 528,768 610,240 
			 Notes: Data are available from 2008-09. Includes patients who commenced treatment on admitted and non admitted pathways. Source: Department of Health Unif/2 data collection - referral to treatment waiting time statistics 
		
	
	Latest data for April 2012 show that 94.6% of admitted patients and 98.1% of non-admitted patients in Coventry Teaching PCT started their treatment within a maximum of 18 weeks of referral.

Learning Disability: Sussex

Nicholas Soames: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many adults are registered as having a severe learning disability in (a) Mid Sussex constituency and (b) West Sussex.

Paul Burstow: This information is not held centrally.

NHS Commissioning Board

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what discussions he had with the Cabinet Secretary before appointing Mr Naguib Kheraj to the NHS Commissioning Board.

Andrew Lansley: None. All public appointments to the Commissioning Board, including Mr Kheraj's, were made in accordance with the code of practice issued by the Commissioner for Public Appointments. Candidates were put through due diligence checks and all of the appointments were made on merit.

NHS Commissioning Board

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what progress he has made on incorporating the recommendations of the national neuromuscular work plan into the NHS Commissioning Board set-up; and if he will make a statement.

Paul Burstow: The workplan will support a national approach to the commissioning of specialised neuromuscular services.
	We will set out an initial list of nationally commissioned services this summer, which will be subject to consultation with the Commissioning Board before subsequently being confirmed in regulations.

NHS: Fees and Charges

Louise Ellman: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether NHS hospitals are offering self-funding services whereby patients are charged for NHS care that could not otherwise be received; and how many patients have been charged for such services.

Simon Burns: The Department is not aware of any evidence to suggest that trusts are charging for NHS services.
	Trusts are, however, permitted to charge private patients for services which are not available on the national health service. They have always been allowed to do this.
	The principle that NHS services should be free at the point of use, based on clinical need and not an individual's ability to pay, has underpinned the NHS since its establishment in 1948. This principle is enshrined in the NHS Constitution, and reaffirmed in the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

NHS: Finance

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many reviews into the financial position of NHS trusts his Department commissioned in each financial year since 1997; what the cost was of each such report; and if he will publish each such report.

Simon Burns: This information is not available in the format requested. However, since 2003 the Department has commissioned historic due diligence reviews on the financial position of national health service trusts who are applying for NHS foundation trust status. The number of reviews and the total cost in each year from 2003, is shown in the following table. The historic due diligence reports and working capital reviews are held by individual NHS trusts and not by the Department.
	In 2011 the Department commissioned McKinsey and Co to review the financial position of 22NHS trusts who had private finance initiative schemes, which might effect the ability to achieve NHS foundation trust status. The cost of this review was £240,000.
	
		
			  Number of NHS trusts Amount (£) 
			 2003 25 1,068,500 
			 2005 15 1,486,563 
			 2006 32 2,989,917 
			 2007 33 3,409,695 
			 2008 39 4,717,189 
			 2009 48 5,618,655 
			 2010 17 3,191,478 
			 2011 10 1,285,060 
			 2012 26 3,117,784 
			 Total — 26,884,841 
			 Note: A number of contracts may not have been completed in the relevant year and some work may not have been finished where NHS trusts have deferred from the application process. Therefore, the total cost of the work may be less than stated.

NHS: Innovation

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  when he plans to develop and publish an innovation scorecard to track compliance with the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence technology appraisals; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  with reference to his Department's publication, “Innovation, Health and Wealth: accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS”, when he plans to launch the innovation pipeline project.

Simon Burns: “Innovation Health and Wealth: accelerating adoption and diffusion in the NHS” was published on the 5 December 2011 and we are making good progress on all recommendations.
	The NHS Confederation, Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry and the Association of British Healthcare Industries launched the Innovation Pipeline Project in February 2012.
	Development of the innovation scorecard is under way with a wide range of stakeholders. The first release will be published in September 2012.

NHS: Property

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with PropCo on future rent levels for NHS properties;
	(2)  what safeguards he plans to put in place to protect hospitals from high rent increases after the transfer of NHS property assets to PropCo.

Simon Burns: The Department is currently developing lettings policies that NHS Property Services Ltd will adopt once operational. These will be published in due course, so that new organisations that will become tenants of NHS Property Services as of 31 March 2013 will understand the terms and conditions of their leases, including rent levels.
	Existing tenants of primary care trusts already in occupation of property that is due to transfer to NHS Property Services on 31 March 2013 will remain on the terms and conditions of existing leases and tenancy agreements in the first instance. It is likely that NHS Property Services will conduct periodic rent reviews, as is the standard practice within the property management sector.

NHS: Standards

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health whether the NHS Commissioning Board's objectives will include the specification of dignified care as a key objective.

Simon Burns: The Government's ambition is for a national health service which provides high quality, safe and effective care, treating patients with compassion, dignity and respect.
	The Government will set objectives in a mandate to the NHS Commissioning Board that the board must seek to achieve, and the outcomes in the NHS Outcomes Framework will be at its core.
	The Government published a draft mandate for consultation on 4 July, which makes it clear that treating patients with dignity and respect is key to achieving the improved outcomes for which the board will be held to account, particularly when improving patient experience of care.
	Building on the board's duty in the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to promote the NHS Constitution, the draft mandate also contains an objective asking the board to uphold, and where possible, improve performance on the rights and pledges for patients in the NHS Constitution. Among these rights is the right to be treated with dignity and respect.
	As the draft mandate makes clear, the importance of treating patients and staff with dignity and respect touches on the very purpose of the health service described in the Constitution—to support people:
	“at times of basic human need, when care and compassion are what matter most.”

NHS: Standards

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what steps he plans to take to ensure the achievement of dignity in care is reflected in funding for hospitals.

Paul Burstow: The Department is responsible for the allocation of resources to primary care trusts (PCTs). It is for PCTs to decide their priorities for investment locally—including funding for hospitals—taking into account both local and national priorities.
	In terms of departmental policy, the standard national health service contract incorporates a number of obligations around dignity in care, including general requirements relating to good health and care practice through compliance with Care Quality Commission (CQC) essential standards of quality and safety. The NHS Operating Framework reinforces the need for high quality, dignified and compassionate care, and sets it as one of four key priorities for the NHS in 2012-13. The framework establishes the introduction of the NHS Safety Thermometer Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN) goal. This provides NHS organisations with a financial incentive to measure harm from pressure ulcers, falls, urinary tract infections in patients with catheters, and new treatment for venous thromboembolism. The CQUIN goal will help fulfil the commitment made to publish outcomes data on pressure ulcers, and supports wider work to deliver higher quality care to patients.
	From 2013, the NHS Commissioning Board (NHSCB) will be responsible for the future allocation of resources to clinical commissioning groups, and the Department will make a ring-fenced public health grant to local authorities for their new public health responsibilities. On 4 July 2012, the Department published a draft mandate to the NHSCB. This includes a number of NHS care objectives—setting out the expectations for the health service of the Secretary of State for Health, the right hon. Member for South Cambridgeshire (Mr Lansley). At the heart of the care objectives are a series of standards that broadly cover the range of work the NHS does:
	preventing premature deaths—helping people live longer;
	supporting people with a long-term condition to look after themselves;
	supporting people through their recovery from episodes of ill health or injury;
	making sure that people have a positive experience of care in the NHS; and
	treating people in a clean, safe, environment and protecting them from unnecessary harm.
	The Department is now seeking public feedback on the draft care objectives. The consultation period will run from 4 July to 26 September. Responses will help to inform the final care objectives, which will be published in autumn 2012, before they officially come into force in April 2013.

NHS: Standards

Alison McGovern: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment he has made of the potential effect on quality of service provision of his decision to make Monitor the economic regulator of the health and social care sector.

Simon Burns: Monitor’s overarching duty will be to protect and promote the interest of patients by promoting NHS services that are economic, efficient and effective, and maintains or improves the quality of services. Improving the value for money of NHS services will support commissioners’ in driving quality improvements in NHS services for patients.
	The impact assessment for the Health and Social Care Act 2012 assesses the impact of Monitor’s new role as sector regulator for the NHS. A copy has already been placed in the Library and is available on the Department’s website at:
	www.dh.gov.uk/prod_consum_dh/groups/dh_digitalassets/documents/digitalasset/dh_129917.pdf

Nutrition

Chris Ruane: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what (a) research and (b) trials his Department has (i) commissioned and (ii) evaluated on the potential effects of diet on the incidence of anti-social behaviour; and what the outcomes were of such research or trials.

Crispin Blunt: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Ministry of Justice.
	The National Offender Management Service (NOMS) has responsibility for providing instructions to all prisons on the provision of meals for prisoners. The most recent guidelines are contained within Prison Service Instruction 44/2010, Catering Meals for Prisoners which became effective from 1 October 2010.
	NOMS has not funded any research into the relationship between diet and the issues mentioned in the question. However NOMS has been supportive towards the charity "Natural Justice" which has conducted research into the effects of nutritional supplements on the behaviour of young offenders.
	This research was conducted in 1996 at HMYOI Aylesbury and was reviewed by Home Office researchers who concluded that while the results showed a positive effect on behaviour, the numbers involved were too small to make the drawing of wider conclusions possible. The study did not follow up with the trainees once they were released so the question of whether re-offending was affected was not considered.
	Additionally in 2009 (reported in the Journal Science) a further three-year research study commenced led by Professor John Stein in three UK prisons: Hindley, Greater Manchester; Lancaster Farms, Lancashire; and Polmont, Falkirk (Scotland). This study was not commissioned by NOMS but has been in part supported by £1.4 million from the charitable foundation the Wellcome Trust. The results of this study are subject to academic evaluation prior to publication of findings.
	Currently NOMS has no plans to fund research or trials relating to diet and behaviour.

Palliative Care

John Leech: To ask the Secretary of State for Health what assessment his Department has made of the monetary value to the NHS of the contribution of informal carers for people at the end of life; and what plans he has to improve support for carers of people at the end of life.

Paul Burstow: We are very much aware of and greatly value the significant contribution that carers make to the care of those at the end of life. There is scope for debate about how best to put a financial value on this care but there can be no doubt about its huge value to those who receive care and to the wider community.
	No assessment has been undertaken by the Department, but some external organisations have made estimates of the monetary value of carers' contribution. However, formal services would not need to replace every hour of unpaid care: for example, carers may include among hours of unpaid care time spent with the cared-for person, in case they should need help, but undertaking other activities. It does not include a valuation of the long-term impacts of intensive caring on the carer's own health and well-being or on the carer's career prospects and life-time earnings and pensions.
	The Care and Support White Paper, together with the draft Care and Support Bill, which the Government published on 11 July, set out the Government's plans for transformation of care and support. This is a historic step forward in relation to carers as the draft Bill, for the first time, includes provision for a new duty on local authorities to meet carers’ eligible needs for support. This will put them on the same footing as the people they care for.
	We think that there is much merit in providing free health and social care in a fully integrated service at the end of life and this is reflected in the White Paper. This was acknowledged in the independent Palliative Care Funding Review report and we will use the evaluation of the eight palliative care funding pilot sites to gather the data to inform this.

Pharmacy

Kate Hoey: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  pursuant to the answer of 21 June 2012, Official Report, column 1106W, on Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust: pharmacy, whether funding NHS bodies receive from his Department provides each trust with a budget allocation to reimburse actual pharmacy VAT costs incurred; and whether this allocation provides equality to an NHS provider when pharmacy services are market tested;
	(2)  what steps he is taking to ensure that NHS pharmacy services provided within NHS hospitals can compete with private providers who are eligible for a VAT exemption.

Simon Burns: National health service organisations' VAT costs are recognised in the public funding they receive. The NHS' spending settlement covers any VAT costs it incurs in the same way that it covers any other cost.
	The Department currently allocates funding, to all primary care trusts through recurrent revenue allocations. Once allocated, it is for individual primary care trusts to decide how their budgets are invested to meet the health care needs of their local populations, taking account of local and national priorities. This would include the provision of out-patient dispensing, whether provided in-house or outsourced.
	Any decision to outsource the out-patient pharmacy service would be a matter for local decision making which would be patient centred.

School Milk

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many settings in each local authority area claiming for the cost of free milk through the nursery milk scheme claimed more than 90p per pint in the latest period for which figures are available; and what the (a) highest and (b) median cost per pint for milk was in each local authority.

Anne Milton: The Department does not hold information centrally on the number of settings in each local authority (LA) area that claimed more than 90p per pint of free nursery milk in 2011-12. However we are able to provide figures as follows for the total number of settings that claimed more than 90p per pint in June 2012.
	Cost claimed by the child care settings in providing free nursery milk in the month of June 2012—more than 90p per pint
	Number of child care settings—8,962
	Information is not held centrally on the highest and median cost per pint of milk in each LA geographical area.

Steroid Drugs

Jo Swinson: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what recent steps his Department has taken to inform the public of the health risks of anabolic steroids; how much has been spent to that end in the last 12 months; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  how many people in each region (a) aged under 18 years and (b) in total were treated for poisoning by steroid in each of the last five years.

Anne Milton: Information and advice about anabolic steroids, including the health risks associated with using anabolic steroids, is provided by FRANK and NHS Choices. It is not possible to breakdown the FRANK or NHS Choices budget to show the cost of providing information on a particular subject such as anabolic steroids.
	When used in clinical practice, doctors prescribing a course of anabolic steroids are expected to discuss potential side effects and to draw patients' attention to the additional information contained in the Patient Information Leaflet.
	The information in the following tables show counts of finished admission episodes by strategic health authority (SHA) of residence, for primary diagnoses of poisoning by steroids for all ages and for under 18-year-olds for 2006-07 to 2010-11.
	
		
			 Finished admission episodes(1) with a primary diagnosis of steroid poisoning(2), by SHA residence(3), under 18 and all ages, 2006-07 to 2010-11(4) 
			 Activity in English national health service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			   Under 18 
			 Strategic health authority of residence  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Total  13 10 12 12 13 
			 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority Q33 1 1 1 3 1 
			 East of England Strategic Health Authority Q35 — — 1 — 1 
			 London Strategic Health Authority Q36 1 1 1 — 1 
			 North East Strategic Health Authority Q30 3 — 2 — 1 
			 North West Strategic Health Authority Q31 3 2 1 2 3 
			 South Central Strategic Health Authority Q38 — — 1 — 2 
			 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority Q37 2 2 2 2 1 
			 South West Strategic Health Authority Q39 2 1 1 2 — 
			 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority Q34 1 2 1 1 2 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber Strategic Health Authority Q32 — — — 2 1 
			 Other (including unknown)  — 1 1 — — 
		
	
	
		
			 Activity in English national health service hospitals and English NHS commissioned activity in the independent sector 
			   All ages (including unknown) 
			 Strategic health authority of residence  2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 
			 Total  41 51 61 53 65 
			 East Midlands Strategic Health Authority Q33 3 2 9 4 9 
			 East of England Strategic Health Authority Q35 3 6 5 5 4 
			 London Strategic Health Authority Q36 6 3 7 2 6 
			 North East Strategic Health Authority Q30 4 2 6 5 4 
			 North West Strategic Health Authority Q31 10 9 8 10 12 
			 South Central Strategic Health Authority Q38 2 4 8 3 6 
			 South East Coast Strategic Health Authority Q37 3 7 5 3 4 
			 South West Strategic Health Authority Q39 4 2 5 8 11 
			 West Midlands Strategic Health Authority Q34 3 8 1 5 3 
			 Yorkshire and The Humber Strategic Health Authority Q32 2 7 5 7 6 
			 Other (including unknown)  1 1 2 1 0 
			 (1) Finished admission episodes A finished admission episode (FAE) is the first period of inpatient care under one consultant within one healthcare provider. FAEs are counted against the year in which the admission episode finishes. Admissions do not represent the number of inpatients, as a person may have more than one admission within the year. (2) Primary diagnosis The primary diagnosis is the first of up to 20 (14 from 2002-03 to 2006-07 and seven prior to 2002-03) diagnosis fields in the Hospital Episode Statistics (HES) data set and provides the main reason why the patient was admitted to hospital. ICD10 codes used: T38.5 Poisoning by other estrogens and progestogens (includes Antineoplastic, estrogen hormone steroids) T38.7 Poisoning by androgens and anabolic congeners (includes Anabolic steroids, Androgenic steroid, Antineoplastic, hormone steroids) (3) SHA/PCT of residence The strategic health authority (SHA) or primary care trust (PCT) containing the patient's normal home address. This does not necessarily reflect where the patient was treated as they may have travelled to another SHA/PCT for treatment. (4) Assessing growth through time HES figures are available from 1989-90 onwards. Changes to the figures over time need to be interpreted in the context of improvements in data quality and coverage (particularly in earlier years), improvements in coverage of independent sector activity (particularly from 2006-07) and changes in NHS practice. For example, apparent reductions in activity may be due to a number of procedures which may now be undertaken in outpatient settings and so no longer include in admitted patient HES data. Data quality: HES are compiled from data sent by more than 300 NHS trusts and PCTs in England and from some independent sector organisations for activity commissioned by the English NHS. The NHS Information Centre for health and social care liaises closely with these organisations to encourage submission of complete and valid data and seeks to minimise inaccuracies. While this brings about improvement over time, some shortcomings remain. Source: Hospital Episode Statistics (HES), Health and Social Care Information Centre

Thalidomide

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health with reference to the answer of 19 October 2011, Official Report, column 1042W, on thalidomide, how many prescriptions were issued for each product in each of the last three years.

Simon Burns: Thalidomide is listed in the British National Formulary as a possible treatment for leprosy and untreated multiple myeloma. The table shows the actual number of prescription items dispensed in the community for Thalidomide in each of the last three calendar years.
	
		
			 Thalidomide prescription items written in the United Kingdom and dispensed in the community in England(1) 
			  Number 
			 2009 404 
			 2010 267 
			 2011 200 
			 (1) Does not include items dispensed in hospitals, including mental health trusts, or private prescriptions. Source: Prescription Cost Analysis (PCA) system

Thalidomide

Jim Dobbin: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  with reference to the answer of 19 October 2011, Official Report, column 1042W, on thalidomide, how the off-label prescription of thalidomide is monitored and controlled; and what scientific evidence has been provided in product licence applications to the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency to demonstrate the safety and efficacy of these products;
	(2)  how many product licences have been issued for the manufacture or supply of each of these products; to which companies; and how patients are informed that the products contain thalidomide;
	(3)  how many products containing thalidomide or thalidomide analogue compounds are licensed for use; and what the product names are.

Simon Burns: The distribution and supply of thalidomide are strictly controlled throughout the European Union in order to ensure that patients, both male and female, cannot receive the product without observing appropriate safeguards against pregnancy. In the United Kingdom, the Pregnancy Prevention Programme for thalidomide involves the restriction of supply to specifically registered pharmacies that have agreed to abide by the programme. The Pregnancy Prevention Programme is required to be implemented regardless of whether thalidomide is prescribed for the authorised indication (multiple myeloma), or for an unauthorised indication.
	Prescriptions can be dispensed in the UK only if they are accompanied by a dedicated Prescription Authorisation Form. The prescription authorisation form requires the indication for treatment with thalidomide to be recorded.
	The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has put in place measures to ensure that the maximum treatment duration for one prescription is four weeks for women of childbearing potential. Prescriptions can only be dispensed within seven days of the date of the prescription, and women who are capable of becoming pregnant must provide evidence of a recent negative pregnancy test prior to receiving each new prescription.
	According to the terms of the Marketing Authorisation for Thalidomide, Celgene, the Marketing Authorisation Holder is required to conduct regular audits to confirm compliance with the requirements of the Pregnancy Prevention Programme. Audits are conducted annually based on the information recorded on the prescription authorisation forms. Pharmacies registered to supply thalidomide return the information in their prescription authorisation forms to the Marketing Authorisation Holder, who then collates and analyses the data supplied. The data are then compiled into a report, which is sent to the MHRA for information and comment. One of the items analysed during the conduct of the annual pharmacy audit is the indication for treatment with thalidomide. This allows the MHRA to monitor the nature and extent of prescription for unlicensed indications.
	As with all marketing authorisation applications, before thalidomide was granted a licence and became available in the UK they were fully evaluated in relation to the appropriate standards required in the relevant European Rules and Regulations on Medicinal Products. Data submitted in support of the application demonstrated that the safety and efficacy of the product were satisfactory in the claimed indication and patient population.
	There is only one authorised product available in the UK that contains thalidomide (Thalidomide Celgene 50mg Capsules, MA holder: Celgene Europe Ltd, Middlesex, UK).
	Marketed products are clearly labelled on both the outer container and in the patient information leaflet supplied with the medicine to provide the name of the active ingredient in addition to any brand name given to the product.
	Given that there is an obligation for the patient to sign an informed consent form and to be counselled as to the risks of thalidomide with every prescription, and that it must be recorded that counselling has taken place, it should not be possible for patients to receive Thalidomide Celgene in the UK without being aware that the product contains thalidomide.

Thalidomide

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Health 
	(1)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that its cost data capture the costs of thalidomide needs nationwide;
	(2)  what steps his Department is taking to ensure that standards in home care for thalidomiders are consistently high and at a specialist level.

Paul Burstow: Our expectation is that good quality home care should be available to anyone that needs it. The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and adult social care providers in England and has a key responsibility in the overall assurance of essential levels of safety and quality of health and adult social care services. Under the Health and Social Care Act 2008, all providers of regulated activities, including national health service and independent providers, have to register with the CQC and meet a set of 16 safety and quality registration requirements.
	The 16 requirements reflect the essential levels of safety and quality of care that people should be able to expect, and are built around the main risks inherent in the provision of health and adult social care services.
	The CQC is responsible for developing and consulting on its methodology for assessing whether providers are meeting the registration requirements and published its “Guidance About Compliance” in March 2010.
	Failure to comply with the requirements is an offence, and under the 2008 Act, the CQC has a wide range of enforcement powers that it can use if the provider is not compliant.

Trade Unions

Chris Skidmore: To ask the Secretary of State for Health how many trade union representatives worked at each public body for which his Department is responsible on a full-time basis in each financial year since 1997-98; what the salary was for these full-time representatives in each year; and what the total cost to his Department was in each case.

Simon Burns: Information provided by the Department's 20 public bodies indicated that between 1997-98 and 2006-07, there were no full-time trade union representatives, though one public body did not have available information for the years 2005-06 to 2006-07. Information for the years from 2007-08 is set out in the following table, using salary bandings of £5,000.
	As with other personal data, the Department's disclosure of the details of this type of information is subject to data protection legislation and standing instructions from the Cabinet Office that, where numbers of individuals are five or fewer in a particular category, the figures are not released to prevent individuals being personally identified directly or in combination with other published information. In this instance, the aggregation of data acts to protect the identity and privacy of individuals.
	
		
			  Number of trade union representatives that worked on a full-time basis Salary range Total cost range 
			 2007-08 Five or fewer £15,000 to £45,000 £20,000 to £55,000 
			 2008-09 Five or fewer £15,000 to £45,000 £25,000 to £55,000 
			 2009-10 Five or fewer £15,000 to £45,000 £25,000 to £60,000 
			 2010-11 Five or fewer £15,000 to £50,000 £25,000 to £60,000 
			 2011-12 Five or fewer £35,000 to £45,000 £45,000 to £60,000

FOREIGN AND COMMONWEALTH AFFAIRS

Absenteeism

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what the absenteeism rate was in his Department in each of the last three years.

Henry Bellingham: The total number of working days lost through short and long-term sick absence, for the financial years 2010-11 and 2011-12, are published in the Annual Departmental Report produced by the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), which can be accessed via:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/publications1/annual-reports/departmental-report/
	The figures for the last three years are:
	
		
			  Number 
			 2011-12 19,290 
			 2010-11 26,555 
			 2009-10 27,804 
		
	
	The total number of days lost through sick absence in 2009-10 was 27,804. The figures for 2009-10 and 2010-11 include absences in FCO Services. FCO Services is now a Trading Fund of the FCO. The 2011-12 figure excludes FCO Services absences.

Bahrain

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs for what reasons he did not support the joint statement on Bahrain proposed at the recent UN Human Rights Council; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: The UK remains concerned about the human rights situation in Bahrain and continues to raise this regularly with the Bahraini Government at the most senior levels.
	We did not sign up to the joint statement because we did not consider it appropriate at this stage to raise Bahrain under agenda item 4. While we agree with the substance of the Swiss-led statement, item 4 is reserved for highlighting situations of the most serious concern for human rights, and the UK does not believe that the situation in Bahrain is currently comparable with the situation in the other countries raised under this item, such as Syria. A number of other countries, including the US and other EU member states, agreed with this assessment and did not sign the statement.
	The UK made its concerns clear when we raised human rights in Bahrain under item 10 at the HRC. We noted that while progress has been made in a number of areas, much more must be done to address the continuing failings and to ensure the recommendations of the National Commission of Inquiry are implemented in full. In particular, we called on the Bahraini Government to ensure that the postponed visit of the Special Rapporteur on Torture goes ahead as soon as possible. As a long- standing ally the UK will continue to support Bahrain in this work.

Burma

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will press the Government of Burma to establish an independent inquiry, with international assistance, into the violence in Arakan state in that country.

Jeremy Browne: We are deeply concerned by the recent violence in Rakhine (Arakan) state. We are aware that the Burmese authorities have opened an inquiry into the recent violence. We will monitor this closely and will urge the Burmese Government to ensure that that inquiry is able to work in a transparent manner and that its findings are balanced and credible.

Burma

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will urge the Government of Burma to stop the violence and persecution of Rohingyas in Arakan state in that country.

Jeremy Browne: The recent inter-communal violence in Rakhine state in western Burma has highlighted both the fragility of the situation in Burma, and drawn further and much needed attention to the plight of the Rohingya. I issued a statement on 10 June which expressed deep concern about the situation and urged all groups to open a dialogue to end the violence.
	On 12 June our ambassador met Burmese President Thein Sein. The ambassador emphasised our deep concern about the hostilities in Rakhine state, and urged him to make every effort to resolve the situation peacefully.
	On 22 June officials from our embassy in Rangoon raised our concerns over the lack of regular humanitarian aid access to Rakhine state and the closure of the border with Bangladesh with the Burmese Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
	We remain concerned about the humanitarian situation in Rakhine state and will continue to monitor this closely.

Burma

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on the situation in Arakan state, Burma with his counterparts in other EU member states and in the US.

Jeremy Browne: We are deeply concerned by the recent violence in Rakhine (Arakan) state. We regularly discuss the ethnic conflict in Burma and the specific issues affecting the Rohingya with our European and US colleagues. We are set to discuss the matter further at senior official level in Brussels on 18 July.

Burma

Rushanara Ali: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had on the situation in Arakan state, Burma with his counterparts in Bangladesh and India and in members states of the Association of South East Asian Nations.

Jeremy Browne: We regularly raise the ethnic conflict in Burma and the specific issues affecting the Rohingya with countries in the region, including the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), India and Bangladesh.
	Our high commissioner in Dhaka raised this issue with the Government of Bangladesh as part of an EU demarche in late June and officials from our high commission have continued to discuss it with the Bangladesh authorities since.
	We acknowledge Bangladesh's efforts in dealing with development and humanitarian issues in Cox's Bazar district over several decades and understand the challenges accepting further refugees would cause. We continue to urge Bangladesh to continue to provide treatment for individuals displaced from Burma in need of emergency medical care.
	In our meetings with ASEAN member states we continue to stress the important role that ASEAN and its members have in both supporting the reform process and resolving ethnic conflict in Burma. In particular, we have called on ASEAN member states to draw upon their own experiences to assist Burma's transition to democracy.

Diplomatic Service

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many UK (a) ambassadors and (b) high commissioners are female.

Henry Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has 38 heads of post who are female. This includes 26 ambassadors and high commissioners. The remainder are heads of subordinate posts.
	The FCO produces an annual Equality report which can be accessed at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/publications1/annual-reports/equality-report

Ethiopia

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the freedom of the press in Ethiopia.

Henry Bellingham: We are concerned about the increasing restrictions on the freedom of the press in Ethiopia, including recent convictions of journalists under the anti-terrorism legislation. We have raised these concerns with the Ethiopian Government at the highest level, including most recently on 12 July when I met with the Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister. Other developments have also made the operating environment for the press more difficult, including the passing of a law in July that restricts the ratio of advertising to news coverage.

Iran

Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received on Iranian activity at the Parchin facility.

Alistair Burt: In the annex to its November 2011 report, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) states that it had been provided with information which indicates that Iran “constructed a large explosives containment vessel in which to conduct hydrodynamic experiments” at Parchin. It also received information alleging that Iran “was conducting high explosive testing” at the site. As the IAEA report details,
	“hydrodynamic experiments [...] which involve high explosives in conjunction with nuclear material or nuclear material surrogates, are strong indicators of possible weapon development.”
	At the same time as it continues to deny the Agency access, we are concerned that Iran is now undertaking sanitisation work at Parchin. The IAEA's most recent report of 25 May 2012 referred to a letter dated 2 May 2012 in which the Agency reiterated its request for early access to a specified location within the Parchin site. In the same letter, the Agency informed Iran that satellite imagery had shown that
	“at this location, where virtually no activity had been observed for a number of years, the buildings of interest to the Agency are now subject to extensive activities that could hamper the Agency's ability to undertake effective verification.”
	In line with an IAEA Board of Governors resolution adopted on 18 November 2011, we continue to call on Iran to provide the Agency with “access to all relevant information, documentation, sites, material and personnel in Iran” in order to address the international community's concerns about the possible military dimensions to its nuclear programme.

Iran

Alec Shelbrooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what reports he has received of the access of International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors to the Parchin facility in Iran.

Alistair Burt: In its November 2011 resolution, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Board of Governors calls on Iran to provide the Agency with
	“access to all relevant information, documentation, sites, material and personnel in Iran.”
	Since then, the IAEA has in successive reports reiterated its request for access to Parchin, including most recently in its report of 25 May 2012. In response to the agency's request in May, Iran stated that access would not be possible until agreement had been reached on a structured approach to clarify all outstanding issues. Despite the agency's efforts, Iran has so far failed to finalise agreement to such a structured approach, and continues to deny the agency the access it needs to be able to assure the international community that there are no ongoing activities relevant to the development of a nuclear explosive device.

Iraq

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment his Department has made of reports that the Iraqi Government has been refusing to allow Iraqis who left as refugees to return to Iraq.

Alistair Burt: The British Government continue to make returns to Iraq on a case by case basis and Iraqis who have failed to establish an asylum claim can and do return voluntarily.

Kashmir

Steven Baker: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of the allegations of human rights abuses made in the Channel 4 documentary, Kashmir's Torture Trail; and if he will make a statement.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of the Channel 4 documentary on Kashmir. We monitor developments in Kashmir closely and regularly raise concerns about the human rights situation on both sides of the Line of Control. The UK has consistently called for an end to all external support for violence in Kashmir. Prime Minister Singh has made it clear that human rights abuses by security forces in Kashmir will not be tolerated. We note that the Indian Government decided to allow the UN Special Rapporteur on extrajudicial, summary or arbitrary executions to pay a fact-finding visit to Kashmir last March. We are following the investigations of the Jammu and Kashmir State Human Rights Commission. We welcome the initiative by Prime Minister Singh to appoint three interlocutors to engage with a wide range of interested parties to help resolve the situation in Indian-administered Kashmir. The Indian Government have recently published the interlocutors' report, which sets out a range of confidence building measures, including addressing human rights concerns. I understand that the Indian Government will take a decision on how to implement the report after a period of consultation.
	The long-standing position of the UK is that it is for India and Pakistan to find a lasting resolution to the situation in Kashmir, one which takes into account the wishes of the Kashmiri people. It is not for the UK to prescribe a solution or to mediate in finding one. We welcome the positive steps being taken by Pakistan and India to build trust and confidence.

Mexico

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions his Department has had with authorities in Mexico on the recent presidential election and public demonstrations against the result; and if he will make a statement.

Jeremy Browne: Foreign and Commonwealth Office staff in London and at our embassy in Mexico City are closely monitoring the situation following the election and are in contact with the relevant authorities. The provisional results of the presidential election were announced on 2 July, with Enrique Peña Nieto gaining the most votes. The final result will be ratified by the independent Electoral Tribunal by 6 September. To date the Electoral Tribunal has pronounced itself satisfied with the electoral process. This followed a recount of around half of all ballot boxes in response to a request from one of the other presidential candidates. The UK and Mexico have an excellent bilateral relationship built on mutual understanding and respect, and we look forward to working with the new administration, once it is confirmed, on a wide range of bilateral and international issues.

Middle East

Simon Kirby: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessment he has made of recent reports of rocket fire from the Sinai peninsula into Israel.

Alistair Burt: We are not aware of any confirmed reports of rocket fire from the Sinai peninsula into Israel. However, the British Government remain concerned about the security situation in the Sinai and we regularly raise this issue with the Egyptian authorities.
	On 22 June, I issued a statement expressing concern the escalation of violence around southern Israel and Gaza, including indiscriminate rocket fire into southern Israel.
	The UK continues to urge all parties to exercise restraint and prevent civilian casualties and loss of life.

Occupied Territories

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what discussions he has had with the Government of Israel on ending Israeli settlements in area C of the west bank.

Alistair Burt: We remain concerned about the expansion of Israeli settlements and the demolition of Palestinian property in area C of the west bank (the area under full Israeli control). Both are contrary to Israel's obligations under international humanitarian law and harmful to the peace process. We continue to urge the Israeli authorities, including at the highest levels, to cease all settlement building and to desist from the demolition of Palestinian homes and infrastructure.
	These are concerns shared across Europe. The EU's Foreign Affairs Council, in Conclusions agreed on 14 May, called on Israel to meet its obligations regarding the living conditions of the Palestinian population in Area C, including by halting the forced transfer of the population and the demolition of Palestinian housing and infrastructure, ensuring access to water and addressing humanitarian needs. Together with our EU partners, we will continue to make this case to the Israeli Government.

Palestinians

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment his Department has made of the adequacy of healthcare and education available to the people of Gaza.

Alistair Burt: Access to education and healthcare for the people of Gaza has been seriously undermined by continuing movement and access restrictions.
	The most recent assessment of healthcare provision in Gaza by the World Health Organisation and a report on children in Gaza by Save the Children and Medical Aid for Palestinians conclude that there has been a deterioration in the quality of care, as a result of Israeli movement and access restrictions, and political and institutional separation between the west bank and Gaza.
	The UK continues to provide practical assistance to the Palestinian population of Gaza. The Department for International Development's (DFID) current work on Gaza addresses the key access constraints, promotes economic growth and provides support to the poorest and most vulnerable parts of society. The UK supports the Palestinian Authority and UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) to provide basic services, such as education and health, to the people of Gaza.
	DFID further helps 24 UN agencies and 132 international NGOs to facilitate the transfer of vital humanitarian assistance, including medical equipment and supplies, in and out of Gaza through our support to the UN Access Co-ordination Unit and the Palestinian Authority's crossing co-ordination committee. DFID are also providing financial support to the Palestinian Authority to help deliver essential services, including medical supplies, to Gaza.

Property

Yvonne Fovargue: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many properties his Department (a) owns and (b) rents (i) in the UK and (ii) overseas.

David Lidington: The following table sets out the number of owned and rented properties in the UK and overseas.
	
		
			  (i) UK (ii) Overseas Total 
			 (a) Owned 3 2,150 2,153 
			 (b) Rented 7 2,613 2,620 
			 Total 10 4,763 4,773 
		
	
	The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) global network extends to 141 sovereign and 130 subordinate posts in 170 countries. The overseas estate consists of properties, ranging from embassy and high commission buildings to staff accommodation and other facilities. The overseas estate accommodates not only FCO staff but also Government partners and wider public sector organisations. The estate mix responds to operational needs as well as the performance of properties. We are restructuring the FCO global estate by reducing the cost of office and residential accommodation.

Departmental Staff

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what proportion of senior management jobs in his Department are held by women.

Henry Bellingham: In the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) 22.4% of senior management jobs are held by women.
	The FCO produces an annual Equality report which can be accessed at:
	www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/publications1/annual-reports/equality-report

Departmental Staff

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs how many staff employed by his Department (a) in the UK and (b) overseas are (i) female and (ii) male.

Henry Bellingham: The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) employs:
	(a) 1,292 women and 1,303 men in the UK
	(b) 675 women and 1,317 men overseas.
	These figures are for UK-based staff only and do not include staff from FCO Services Trading Fund or the UK Border Agency. Neither do they include locally engaged staff employed overseas.
	The FCO produces an annual Equality report which can be accessed at:
	http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/publications-and-documents/publications1/annual-reports/equality-report

Sudan: South Sudan

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assistance the Government is giving to facilitate improved relations between Sudan and South Sudan.

Henry Bellingham: Britain fully supports the African Union (AU) High Level Implementation Panel, which is facilitating negotiations between both countries in Addis Ababa, and to which it has provided political, financial and technical support. We continue to make clear to both countries that they must comply fully and without preconditions with all the provisions of the AU road map of 24 April 2012, and UN Security Council resolution 2046, which endorses that road map.

Syria

David Morris: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what assessments have been made regarding the impact of additional Russian military assets being moved to Syria.

Alistair Burt: Russian provision of attack helicopters and other weapons to the Syrian regime is deeply concerning. We believe this will only exacerbate the cycle of violence. The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, my right hon. Friend the Member for Richmond (Yorks) (Mr Hague), has raised the issue of arms sales to the Syrian regime with the Russian Foreign Minister. The Prime Minister also raised it with President Putin. There have been reports that Russia has decided to stop shipments of new arms to Syria. But we urge Russia to stop all arms shipments to Syria.
	We have strengthened the EU arms embargo so that the insurance and re-insurance of arms shipments to Syria is explicitly prohibited following the action to prevent a Russian ship providing attack helicopters to those leading the repression in Syria.

Turkey

Jeremy Corbyn: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs what recent assessment he has made of the freedom of the press in Turkey.

David Lidington: We share concerns expressed by the European Commission, OSCE, Council of Europe and others over the deterioration in freedom of expression in Turkey. We are particularly concerned about the high number of journalists currently imprisoned in Turkey.
	The Turkish Government have assured us that they are committed to improving the climate for freedom of expression. Parliament has just passed a judicial reform package which, we have been told, will reduce the number of people in pre-trial detention. We welcome news that a further judicial reform package aimed specifically at improving the climate for freedom of expression will be debated by the Turkish Parliament in the autumn. With our financial support, the Council of Europe will launch a project later this year aimed at promoting media freedom in Turkey.

UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara

Mark Williams: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs pursuant to the answer of 22 May 2012, Official Report, column 571W, on UN Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara, whether he has received a response from the UN Mission for the Referendum in the Western Sahara (MINURSO) on where the documents which had been removed from the MINURSO website can be obtained publicly.

Alistair Burt: The documents are now available in the House of Commons Library. They were placed in the Library on 24 May under deposit reference DEP2012-0860.

Western Sahara

Katy Clark: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs if he will instruct HM Ambassador to Morocco to raise with the Moroccan authorities the assault on the children of the Saharawi human rights activist Aminatou Haidar while travelling between Agadir, Morocco and El Aauin, Western Sahara on 8 July 2012.

Alistair Burt: We are aware of reports of alleged assault on Aminatou Haidar's children and are monitoring this. We have no current plans to raise this issue. We regularly raise with the Moroccan authorities the importance of ensuring full respect for human rights in Western Sahara.

Wines

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs when he expects his Department's wine cellar will be self-financing.

Henry Bellingham: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 16 July 2012, Official Report, column 570W, to the hon. Member for Makerfield (Yvonne Fovargue).

Wines

Nicholas Dakin: To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs with reference to the written ministerial statement of 13 May 2011, Official Report, column 49WS, on the Government wine cellar review, for what reasons his Department has not published an annual statement to Parliament on the Government's wine cellar.

Henry Bellingham: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given on 16 July 2012, Official Report, column 570W, to the hon. Member for Makerfield (Yvonne Fovargue).

EDUCATION

Academies: Middlesbrough

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent discussions his Department has had with Middlesbrough borough council on schools in Middlesbrough becoming academies.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 16 July 2012
	Since July 2011, there have been 24 meetings, emails or telephone conversations between officials and the local authority to discuss academies across the borough. Two sponsored primary academies have been approved and one primary and one secondary school have been given approval to convert.

Academies: Worcestershire

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many academies there are in (a) Worcestershire and (b) Redditch.

Nick Gibb: The information requested is as follows:
	(a) In Worcestershire, there are 25 open academies;
	(b) In Redditch constituency there are four open Academies.
	Information about open academies and those in development is available on the Department for Education website at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/leadership/typesofschools/academies/b00208569/open-academies

Adoption

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what the average length of time was to successfully complete the adoption process in the last (a) five and (b) 10 years.

Tim Loughton: The average time to successfully complete the adoption process in the last (a) five years was two years and seven months, and in (b) the last 10 years was two years and eight months.
	These averages are based on the time taken from the start of the child's last period of care to the date when the adoption order was made.
	Information on adopted children can be found in the Statistical First Release (SFR) “Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England (including adoption and care leavers)—year ending 31 March 2011”, which is available on the Department's website via the following link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001026/index.shtml
	The methodology used to answer this question follows that used in Table E2 of the SFR for the yearly average time between entry into care and adoption.

Adoption

Gareth Johnson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many couples in (a) Dartford constituency, (b) Kent and (c) England (i) successfully adopted a child and (ii) were rejected for adoption of a child in the last 10 years.

Tim Loughton: The Department collects information on looked-after children adopted by single people, civil partners, married and unmarried (same sex and different sex) couples. Some couples adopt two or more children, and therefore the number of couples who adopt will be lower than the number of children they adopted. Information on the legal status of adopters of looked- after children has been collected since 2006-07. Consequently, the number of looked-after children adopted by couples can be provided only for the last five years.
	Figures for Kent and England are shown in the following tables.
	Figures for England have been taken from Table E3 of the Statistical First Release, “Children Looked After by Local Authorities in England (including adoption and care leavers)—year ending 31 March 2011”. This can be accessed at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001026/index.shtml
	Information at constituency level is not available. The Department does not collect data on the number of prospective adopters who have been considered unsuitable to adopt a looked-after child.
	
		
			 Children looked after in Kent local authority who were adopted during the years ending 31 March by legal status of adopters(1)—Years ending 31 March 2007 to 2011 
			 Number 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 All looked-after children who were adopted during the year ending 31 March 90 90 75 70 60 
			 Legal status of adopters:      
			 Single adopter 10 10 (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			 Same sex couple not in civil partnership (2)— 0 0 (2)— 0 
			 Different sex unmarried couple (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 10 
			 Civil partnership couple 0 (2)— (2)— (2)— (2)— 
			 Married couple 80 75 70 60 45 
			 (1) Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. (2) Figures not shown in order to protect confidentiality. Source: SSDA 903 
		
	
	
		
			 Children looked after who were adopted during the years ending 31 March by legal status of adopters(1)—Years ending 31 March 2007 to 2011—Coverage: England 
			 Number 
			  2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 All looked-after children who were adopted during the year ending 31 March 3,330 3,180 3,330 3,200 3,050 
			 Legal status of adopters:      
			 Single adopter 290 270 270 280 290 
			 Same sex couple not in civil partnership 70 50 50 60 40 
			 Different sex unmarried couple 150 140 190 180 230 
			 Civil partnership couple 20 30 70 60 60 
			 Married couple 2,800 2,690 2,740 2,620 2,430 
			 (1) Numbers have been rounded to the nearest 10. Source: SSDA 903

Children in Care

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to ensure that young people leaving care have access to adequate financial support and employment advice.

Tim Loughton: In 2010 we introduced revised regulations and guidance on support for care leavers. These are intended to improve the quality of support, and bring greater consistency in local authority practice to help ensure all young people receive the same opportunities to succeed as their peers.
	Key entitlements for care leavers include duties on local authorities to:
	Provide support from a suitably qualified personal adviser up to age 21 or up to aged 25 if they are on an agreed education or training course (this includes providing access to careers advice);
	Develop and support the implementation of a pathway plan including how the young person will undertake education courses or gain employment;
	Pay a £2,000 Higher Education Bursary for all eligible care leavers;
	Support to make a successful financial transition to adulthood including access to emergency payments where necessary.
	Other key areas of Government support for care leavers include:
	Funding of the “From Care2Work” programme, run by the National Care Advisory Service, to improve employment opportunities for care leavers by offering young people work experience, and through apprenticeships to part and full time jobs in the public and private sector;
	Placing a duty on the Skills Funding Agency to prioritise funding for apprenticeships training for certain groups of young people who have secured an apprenticeship place. This includes 19 to 24-year-olds who have been in local authority care;
	Funding a new 16-19 further education bursary scheme which began at the start of the 2011/12 academic year. Looked after young people and care leavers are guaranteed a £1,200 bursary if they continue in full-time education.
	Giving priority for care leavers to access the Work Programme. This has been introduced to provide intensive personalised support for people who are at risk of long-term unemployment.

Children: Day Care

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many (a) after-school and (b) before-school places are available for children over the age of five.

Sarah Teather: The Government report the number of Ofsted registered places in England in the Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey series. The latest report is for 2010.
	The number of after-school club places is provided below for each year from 2006. After-school clubs are defined here as facilities providing after school activities or childcare during term time to school aged children aged under eight, for more than two hours in any day and more than five days a year. Age break downs are not available. The equivalent information for before-school places is not collected.
	
		
			 Number of Ofsted registered places for after-school clubs (England) 
			  Ofsted registered places 
			 2006 260,100 
			 2007 259,900 
			 2008 282,700 
			 2009 272,500 
			 2010 368,100 
			 Source: 2010 Childcare and Early Years Providers Survey

Children: Day Care

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what information his Department holds on the average staff: child ratios for child care services for children in each age group.

Sarah Teather: Adult:child ratios are set out in the Early Years Foundation Stage statutory framework (EYFS) which sets learning and development and welfare standards that all early year providers must meet, for children from birth to five. For children aged six and seven ratios are set in regulations for the General Childcare Register (GCR).
	
		
			 Age of children Adult:child ratio 
			 Child care  
			 0 to two-year-olds 1:3 
			 Two-year-olds 1:4 
			 Three to five-year-olds 1:8 or 1:13 (applies between the hours of 8 am and 4 pm, where a person with Qualified Teacher Status, Early Years Professional Status or another suitable level 6 qualification is working directly with the children, provided that at least one other member of staff holds relevant level 3 qualification). 
			 Six to seven-year-olds 1:8 
			   
			 Child minding  
			 0 to seven-year-olds 1:6 A maximum of three may be young children, however where four and five-year-old children only attend the child minding setting before and/or after a normal school day, they may be classed as children over the age of five for ratio purposes. Normally, no more than one child may be under the age of one, however a child minder may be registered to care for two children under the age of one where they are able to demonstrate that they can meet and reconcile the individual needs of all the children being cared for. Exceptions to these ratios can be made for siblings and to provide continuity of care in certain circumstances, provided that the total number of children under the age of eight being cared for does not exceed six. 
		
	
	The revised EYFS which comes into effect on 1 September sets the same adult:child ratios for child care and child minding.

Children: Day Care

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many child care places are funded by his Department by type of provider;
	(2)  how many childcare places (a) in total and (b) for children of each age his Department estimates are funded through its spending on (i) Sure Start and (ii) child care.

Sarah Teather: The Department does not fund child care places. The Department provides funding to local authorities through the dedicated schools grant (DSG) to provide 15 hours a week of free early education for 38 weeks of the year for all three and four-year-olds.
	The number of three and four-year-old children benefiting from free early education in England, by type of provider, is shown in the table.
	
		
			 Number of three and four-year-old children benefiting from free early education(1, 2 )by type of provider. England, 2012 
			  Three-year-olds Four-year-olds 
			 Private and voluntary providers(3) 364,610 112,940 
			    
			 Independent schools 15,170 17,370 
			    
			 Maintained nursery and state-funded primary schools(4): 242,640 503,740 
			 Nursery schools and nursery classes in primary schools 241,430 100,590 
			 Infant classes in primary schools(5) 1,220 403,160 
			    
			 State-funded secondary schools(6) 1,320 2,380 
			    
			 Special schools(7) 1,700 2,540 
			    
			 All providers 625,440 638,970 
			 (1 )Count of children aged three and four at 31 December in the previous calendar year. (2) Numbers of three and four-year-olds in schools may include some two-year-olds. (3) Includes some local authority day nurseries registered to receive funding. (4) Includes primary converter academies, primary sponsor-led academies and primary free schools. (5) Includes reception and other classes not designated as nursery classes. (6) Includes maintained secondary schools, secondary converter academies, sponsor-led academies, secondary free schools and city technology (7) Includes general hospital schools. Source: Early Years Census (EYC), School Census (SC), and School Level Annual School Census (SLASC) 
		
	
	This information can be found in the “Provision for Children under Five Years of Age in England: January 2012” Statistical First Release at the following link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001074/index.shtml
	The Department also provides funding for free early education places for less advantaged two-year-olds, currently through the early intervention grant (EIG). From September 2013, the Government are introducing a legal entitlement to free early education for two-year-olds. We estimate that around 150,000 children (approximately 20%) will be eligible for free places from September 2013, rising to around 300,000 (around 40%) from September 2014.

Children’s Rights

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  on how many occasions his Department has made representations to other Government Departments on the compatibility of proposals, policies or legislation with the UN convention on the rights of the child since May 2010; and if he will place in the Library copies of any such correspondence;
	(2)  what representations his Department has received on the compatibility of its policies with the (a) UN convention on the rights of the child and (b) UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities; and if he will place in the Library a copy of each such item of correspondence.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 16 July 2012
	As Minister for Children and Families, I regularly champion the rights of children with my ministerial colleagues.
	The Government do not normally disclose information relating to internal discussion and policy advice.
	The Department has received a number of representations about the compatibility of its policies with the UNCRC. These include reports and correspondence from the UK Children’s Commissioners—“Mid Term report”; the Children’s Rights Alliance for England—“State of Children’s Rights in England 2011”; and Save the Children UK—“Governance fit for Children”. The Department has also received representations from individuals on a wide range of specific matters. Our policy is not to share correspondence from individuals without their agreement.
	Similarly, a number of individuals and organisations have raised issues with the Department regarding the compatibility of our policies with the UN convention on the rights of persons with disabilities.

Disclosure of Information

Jon Trickett: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much his Department spent on the updating of published data in line with the Government's transparency agenda in each month since September 2011.

Nick Gibb: Transparency is a key operating principle for the Department and we release a wide range of data and statistics on an ongoing basis. Given the broad range of data sets which are processed and released by the Department it is not possible to provide the exact monthly breakdown requested. The estimated additional cost associated with updating and enhancing published data to meet the specific transparency commitments announced in letters from the Prime Minister in May 2010 and July 2011 in 2011-12 is £1,140,000 in financial year 2011-12. This figure includes internal staff costs associated with preparing and publishing data and the development costs associated with enhancing the 2011 school performance tables to release a significantly expanded set of data about primary and secondary schools.

Education: Assessments

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education 
	(1)  how many and what proportion of 16-year-olds took qualifications in 2011 which will no longer count in performance tables following his reforms of equivalent qualifications;
	(2)  how many pupils were examined in 2011 in each qualification that he plans to remove from key stage 4 performance tables;
	(3)  which qualifications he plans to remove from key stage 4 performance tables from 2014; and how many children sat each such qualification in 2011;
	(4)  how many qualifications were awarded last year which will in future no longer count in performance tables due to reforms to the equivalent qualifications.

Nick Gibb: From 2014, the key stage 4 performance tables will be restricted to qualifications that are high quality, rigorous and enable progression to a range of study and employment opportunities for the majority of pupils. Details on the qualifications to be included in the 2014 key stage 4 performance tables are available on our website at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/schools/teachingandlearning/qualifications/otherqualifications/a00202523/reform-of-14-to-16-performance-tables
	A list of qualifications that will not be included from 2014 onwards, entered by at least one pupil reported in the 2011 key stage 4 performance tables, has been placed in the House Libraries. This list includes the number of pupils at the end of key stage 4 entered for each qualification in 2011. Some existing qualifications on that list will not be counted in their current form from 2014 onwards, but will be superseded by revised versions which have been judged to be high quality, rigorous and enable progression to a range of study and employment opportunities for the majority of pupils. As long as the qualifications in this list remain regulated by Ofqual and approved for teaching pre-16 they will continue to be included in the 2012 and 2013 key stage 4 performance tables.
	In 2011, 552,575 pupils (88%) at the end of key stage 4 were entered for at least one of 2,572 qualifications that will not be included in the key stage 4 performance tables from 2014. This analysis has been based on the qualifications list from January 2012; the list was revised in May 2012 to add 15 new qualifications that we are not able to incorporate.

Education: Qualifications

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils took qualifications which he plans to remove from performance tables in each year since 2004.

Nick Gibb: The information requested, for 2007-11, is shown in the following table. From 2014, the key stage 4 performance tables will be restricted to qualifications that are high quality, rigorous and enable progression to a range of study and employment opportunities for the majority of pupils. Regulated qualifications have a set review date after which the qualification can be either amended with a new review date or removed from the list of qualifications. Many of the qualifications that the Secretary of State for Education, my right hon. Friend the Member for Surrey Heath (Michael Gove), plans to remove from performance tables have become available to pupils only in recent years—sometimes replacing similar qualifications. Therefore the trend, in the following table, of rising take-up of these qualifications may not reflect a real trend towards these qualifications. Only qualifications that are currently Ofqual regulated, have section 96 approval and meet the Department’s rigorous standards have been included in the list of qualifications that will count towards the performance tables in 2014. The information in the following table is based on qualifications that are currently regulated for use, but will not be eligible to count in performance tables from 2014 onwards.
	Information for earlier years is not available.
	
		
			 Number and percentage of pupils who were entered for at least one of the qualifications that will not be included in the key stage 4 performance tables from 2014 onwards, 2006/07 to 2010/11(1), England 
			  Number of pupils Percentage of pupils (%) 
			 2006/07 483,206 74 
			 2007/08 511,041 78 
		
	
	
		
			 2008/09 527,570 83 
			 2009/10 551,727 86 
			 2010/11(2) 552,575 88 
			 (1) Includes attempts and achievements by these pupils in previous academic years. (2) Figures for 2010/11 are revised, all other figures are final.

e-mail: Policy Advisers

Tom Watson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what recent guidance he has issued to (a) Ministers, (b) officials and (c) special advisers in his Department on the use of private email accounts to discuss items of Government business; and if he will make a statement.

Tim Loughton: holding answer 26 June 2012
	None. The Information Commissioner published guidance on 15 December 2011 concerning information held in private email accounts. The Cabinet Office is considering this and has said that it will issue further guidance to Departments. The Department will then review its own guidance accordingly.

Freedom of Information

Lisa Nandy: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much money his Department spent on legal advice on its compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in each month since September 2011.

Tim Loughton: The Department has since September 2011 spent a total of £23,988.28 on external legal advice and litigation services relating to compliance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000 (FoIA). The Department spent £19,163:28 in relation to two Decision Notices issued by the Information Commissioner's Office in 2011 or earlier, and £4,825 for advice from counsel in relation to use of non-departmental accounts for official business.
	These break down by month as follows:
	
		
			  Departmental spend in £ 
			 March 2012 18,548.86 
			 April 2012 1,575 
			 May 2012 614.42 
			 July 2012 (to date) 3,250 
		
	
	The costs of internal legal advice on FoIA matters are not held in such a way that they can be separately identified.

GCSE: York

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what proportion of students at state schools in York achieved five or more GCSEs at grades (a) A* to C and (b) A* to E in each year from 1997-98.

Nick Gibb: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 3 July 2012, Official Report, columns 590-94W.
	Standard measures of attainment at the end of Key Stage 4 include achievement of five or more GCSEs at A*-C grade. Information for five or more A*-E grades could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Internet

Richard Fuller: To ask the Secretary of State for Education whether his Department plans to create a myth buster section on its website similar to that of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Tim Loughton: The Department for Education works to ensure that accurate and timely information is provided to the public and workforces through all communication channels.
	The Department has no current plans to create a myth buster section on its website similar to that of the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Newham Free Academy

Stephen Twigg: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many pupils have applied to join the Newham Free Academy in September 2012.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 11 July 2012
	Following careful consideration, we have judged that the proposal to establish Newham Free Academy has not progressed sufficiently for it to proceed to opening and it has been withdrawn from the free school programme.

Pre-school Education

Liam Byrne: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what plans he has for the early years curriculum; and if he will make a statement.

Sarah Teather: In March, we published a revised Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) following an independent review by Dame Clare Tickell. The EYFS is a statutory framework which sets the standards that all early year providers must meet, covering children from birth to five. It includes requirements to ensure that children learn and develop well and that they are kept healthy and safe. The new, simpler and clearer EYFS, which comes into force in September, places a stronger emphasis on learning and development, with a clearer focus on the three prime areas of learning and development that are essential for children's healthy development and readiness for school. It also simplifies assessment at age five and provides for earlier intervention for those children who need extra help, through the introduction of a progress check when children are aged two.

Runaway Children: Missing Persons

Barry Sheerman: To ask the Secretary of State for Education what steps his Department is taking to reduce the number of incidents in which a failure to track runaway and missing children results in them becoming vulnerable to abuse and exploitation.

Tim Loughton: Identifying and ensuring the safe return of children who go missing is a key part of the police service's child protection and wider safeguarding role. However, as the missing children and adults cross- Government strategy makes clear, tackling missing persons issues requires a multi-agency response and co-ordination across a range of policies and operational partners including local authorities, who are key where children go missing.
	The Department is planning to consult on the statutory guidance on children who run away or go missing from home or care to give local authorities a clearer understanding of their duties and more flexibility to decide on the arrangements which are suitable for their areas.
	The Department is also driving forward work to ensure that there are better and more transparent data about children who go missing from care (and who may often then be at risk of sexual exploitation). We have already written to all local authorities asking them to review their own data collections, and to check their figures against those collected by local police forces. The Department is now working with an expert group to develop a data collection system which is more meaningful and gives a much clearer picture of the numbers of children who go missing from care. Better local data collection will contribute to improved local strategies for minimising missing persons incidents and improving protection for children in care.

Schools: Peterborough

Stewart Jackson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how much (a) revenue and (b) capital funding was provided (i) in cash terms and (ii) at 2012 prices to state (A) primary and (B) secondary schools in Peterborough in each year since 1997.

Nick Gibb: The information is as follows:
	Revenue Funding
	Average per pupil revenue funding figures, provided from the Department for Education to Peterborough city council, for pupils aged three to 10 (primary) and 11 to 15 (secondary) for the years 1997-98 to 2005-06 are as follows (Table 1 provides figures in cash terms and table 2 provides the equivalent real terms figures):
	
		
			 Table 1: Average per pupil revenue funding (cash) 
			  Peterborough (primary) Peterborough (secondary) 
			 1997-98 2,056 2,774 
			 1998-99 2,204 2,909 
			 1999-2000 2,430 3,117 
			 2000-01 2,650 3,385 
			 2001-02 2,846 3,612 
			 2002-03 3,013 3,866 
			 2003-04 3,336 4,125 
			 2004-05 3,569 4,480 
			 2005-06 3,845 4,751 
			 Notes: 1. Price base: cash. 2. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of Standard Spending Assessment/Education Formula Spending (EFS) settlements and exclude the pensions transfer to EFS and LSC. 3. Funding also includes all revenue grants in DfES departmental expenditure limits relevant to pupils aged three to 15 and exclude education maintenance allowances (EMAs) and grants not allocated at LEA level. 4. Where responsibility for funding a school has transferred from an authority, related funding no longer appears in the series. 5. The pupil numbers used to convert £ million figures to £ per pupil are those underlying the SSA/EFS settlement calculations plus PLASC three-year-old maintained pupils and estimated three to four-year-olds funded through state support in maintained and other educational institutions where these are not included in the SSA pupil numbers. 6. Rounding: Per pupil figures are rounded to the nearest £1. 
		
	
	
		
			 Table 2: Average per pupil revenue funding (real) 
			  Peterborough (primary) Peterborough (secondary) 
			 1997-98 2,723 3,673 
			 1998-99 2,877 3,798 
			 1999-2000 3,109 3,988 
			 2000-01 3,377 4,314 
			 2001-02 3,561 4,521 
			 2002-03 3,675 4,714 
			 2003-04 3,985 4,927 
			 2004-05 4,144 5,203 
			 2005-06 4,375 5,407 
			 Notes: 1. Price base: Real terms at 2010-11 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 28 March 2012 2. Figures reflect relevant sub-blocks of Standard Spending Assessment/Education Formula Spending (EFS) settlements and exclude the pensions transfer to EFS and LSC. 3. Funding also includes all revenue grants in DfES departmental expenditure limits relevant to pupils aged three to 15 and exclude education maintenance allowances (EMAs) and grants not allocated at LEA level. 4. Where responsibility for funding a school has transferred from an authority, related funding no longer appears in the series. 5. The pupil numbers used to convert £ million figures to £ per pupil are those underlying the SSA/EFS settlement calculations plus PLASC three-year-old maintained pupils and estimated three to four-year-olds funded through state support in maintained and other educational institutions where these are not included in the SSA pupil numbers. 6. Rounding: Per pupil figures are rounded to the nearest £1. 
		
	
	The total revenue per pupil figures shown in the following table are taken from the new Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG). They are not comparable with those for the years 1997-98 to 2005-06 because the introduction of the DSG in 2006-07 fundamentally changed how local authorities are funded.
	The 1997-98 to 2005-06 figures are based on Education Formula Spending (EFS) which formed the education part of the Local Government Finance Settlement, plus various grants. This was an assessment of what local authorities needed to fund education rather than what they spent. The DSG is based largely on an authority's previous spending. In addition, the DSG has a different coverage to EFS. EFS comprised a schools block and an LEA block (to cover LEA central functions) whereas DSG only covers the school block. LEA block items are still funded through DCLG's Local Government Finance Settlement but education items cannot be separately identified. Consequently, there is a break in the Department's time series as the two sets of data are not comparable. An alternative time series is currently under development.
	To provide a comparison for 2006-07 DSG, the Department have isolated the schools block equivalent funding in 2005-06; as described above this does not represent the totality of “education” funding in that year.
	The total and per pupil revenue funding figures for years 2005-06 to 2010-11 for Peterborough are provided in the following table. The following figures are for all funded pupils aged three to 19 and are in cash terms:
	
		
			 Average revenue per pupil funding (DSG + grants cash) 
			  Peterborough 
			 2005-06 Baseline 4,060 
			 2006-07 4,320 
			 2007-08 4,580 
			 2008-09 4,840 
		
	
	
		
			 2009-10 5,010 
			 2010-11 5,170 
			 Notes: 1. This covers funding through the Dedicated Schools Grant, School Standards Grant, School Standards Grant (Personalisation) and Standards Fund as well as funding from the Learning and Skills Council; it excludes grants which are not allocated at LA level. 2. Price base: Cash 3. These figures are for all funded pupils aged three to 19. 4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10. 
		
	
	These figures are in real terms:
	
		
			 Average per pupil revenue funding (DSG + Grants real) 
			  Peterborough 
			 2005-06 Baseline 4,620 
			 2006-07 4,750 
			 2007-08 4,940 
			 2008-09 5,060 
			 2009-10 5,140 
			 2010-11 5,170 
			 Notes: 1. This covers funding through the Dedicated Schools Grant, School Standards Grant, School Standards Grant (Personalisation) and Standards Fund as well as funding from the Learning and Skills Council; it excludes grants which are not allocated at LA level. 2. Price base: Real terms at 2010-11 prices, based on GDP deflators as at 28 March 2012. 3. These figures are for all funded pupils aged three to 19. 4. Figures have been rounded to the nearest £10. 
		
	
	Capital funding
	The following table shows capital funding allocated to Peterborough local authority for the financial years that are available. The data are in cash terms as allocations are phased across more than one year making real terms calculations misleading. Complete information on the split of capital between phases of education is not held centrally.
	
		
			 £ million 
			 Peterborough Capital allocations(1) PFI credits(2) 
			 1996-97 (3)n/a (4)— 
			 1997-98 n/a (4)— 
			 1998-99 2.3 (4)— 
			 1999-2000 2.4 (4)— 
			 2000-01 10.6 (4)— 
			 2001-02 10.1 (4)— 
			 2002-03 9.1 (4)— 
			 2003-04 15.1 (4)— 
			 2004-05 11.0 (4)— 
			 2005-06 18.8 (4)— 
			 2006-07 22.5 63.7 
			 2007-08 12.6 (4)— 
			 2008-09 25.3 (4)— 
			 2009-10 18.8 (4)— 
			 2010-11 28.4 (4)— 
			 2011-12 21.0 (4)— 
			 2012-13 6.9 — 
			 (1 )Capital allocations includes capital grant and supported borrowing allocations. (2 )PFI credit allocations are counted at financial close. (3 )Peterborough did not receive funding in its own right in 1996-97 and 1997-98 as it formed part of Cambridgeshire local authority. (4 )Indicates that no funding was given in that year. Note: Figures are rounded to the nearest £100,000.

Schools: Yorkshire and Humberside

Hugh Bayley: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many full-time equivalent (a) teachers, (b) teaching assistants and (c) other staff have been employed at (i) primary and (ii) secondary schools in (A) York and (B) North Yorkshire and York (1) in total and (2) per pupil in each year since 1992.

Nick Gibb: The following tables provide the full-time equivalent numbers of teachers, teaching assistants and support staff in the North Yorkshire and York local authorities in each January from 1994 to November 2011.
	
		
			 Full-time equivalent teachers, teaching assistants and support staff in service in local authority maintained nursery/primary and secondary schools. Coverage: North Yorkshire and City of York Years: January 1992 to January 2009 and November 2010 
			  Nursery/Primary Secondary 
			  FTE teachers FTE Teaching assistants FTE support staff FTE teachers FTE Teaching assistants FTE support staff 
			 North Yorkshire pre-April 1996 local government reorganisation:       
			 1992 (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 1993 (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 1994 2,680 2,870 (1)— (1)— (1)— (1)— 
			 1995 2,680 310 330 2,920 40 470 
			 1996 2,720 350 350 3,020 50 490 
			 North Yorkshire and York post April 1996 local government reorganisation:       
			 1997 2,780 400 370 2,940 80 490 
			 1998 2,670 490 360 2,990 90 510 
			 1999 2,730 500 370 3,080 120 520 
			 2000 2,820 550 420 3,190 160 560 
			 2001 2,880 700 500 3,250 190 600 
			 2002 2,950 1,040 360 3,220 280 660 
			 2003 2,900 1,050 340 3,310 330 620 
			 2004 2,830 1,210 390 3,450 400 740 
			 2005 2,810 1,350 400 3,460 410 870 
			 2006 2,840 1,510 410 3,520 480 950 
			 2007 2,860 1,590 470 3,520 520 1,050 
			 2008 2,850 1,740 470 3,520 610 1,090 
			 2009 2,770 1,810 490 3,370 650 1,170 
			 2010 2,760 1,870 490 3,360 670 1,220 
		
	
	
		
			 2011 2,640 1,640 480 2,460 590 880 
			 City of York:       
			 1997 630 90 70 600 10 100 
			 1998 610 110 70 600 10 110 
			 1999 630 120 80 600 10 100 
			 2000 650 130 90 640 30 120 
			 2001 650 160 90 660 30 120 
			 2002 680 230 70 650 50 140 
			 2003 640 240 80 680 60 140 
			 2004 630 260 80 700 70 150 
			 2005 620 290 80 700 90 170 
			 2006 620 330 80 700 100 180 
			 2007 650 330 90 700 110 190 
			 2008 630 350 100 680 130 190 
			 2009 610 360 110 690 140 200 
			 2010 690 370 100 720 140 240 
			 2011 590 380 110 550 130 170 
			 (1) Equals not available. Note: Staff numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. Sources: FTE teachers (1997 to 2009 618g survey, 2010 School Workforce Census), FTE teaching assistants, support staff and pupils from School Census. 
		
	
	The methodology for calculating pupil: teacher ratios has recently changed to take account of dual registered pupils. At present the pupil: teacher ratios for City of York and North Yorkshire are only available on the new methodology for November 2010 and 2011 and these are given in the following table.
	
		
			 Full-time equivalent pupils, qualified teachers and pupil teacher ratios(1) in local authority primary and secondary schools. Maintained Coverage: York local authority and North Yorkshire and York—November 2010 and 2011 
			  Primary Secondary 
			  FTE pupils FTE qualified teachers PTR FTE pupils FTE qualified teachers PTR 
			 2010       
			 City of York 12,720 520 24.6 9,950 620 16,0 
			 North Yorkshire and York 54,340 2,310 23.5 49,910 2,870 17.4 
			 2011       
			 City of York 12,970 550 23.7 7,950 510 15.5 
			 North Yorkshire and York 53,980 2,500 21.6 38,290 2,320 16.5 
			 (1) PTRs are calculated using the FTE number of sole and dual registered pupils on roll by the total FTE number of qualified teachers regularly employed in schools. Notes: 1. Figures for 2011 include only those schools that remained with local authority maintained status at January 2012. 2. Staff numbers are rounded to the nearest 10. Sources: FTE teachers (2010 School Workforce Census), FTE pupils (School Census). 
		
	
	These statistics are provided and are sourced from the Statistical First Release “School Workforce in England, November 2011”. National statistics were published in April 2012 and underlying regional, local authority and school information on 12 July at the following web link:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/researchandstatistics/stats/a00205723/school-workforce-in-england-provisional-nov-2011
	Table 17 of the SFR provides the revised national pupil: teacher ratio time series and the underlying data provides the local authority breakdown for November 2011.

Special Educational Needs

Charlotte Leslie: To ask the Secretary of State for Education how many children were (a) statemented for special educational needs, (b) in the School Action category and (c) in the School Action Plus category in each year since 1997.

Sarah Teather: The available information on numbers of pupils with statements of special educational needs, at School Action and at School Action Plus is shown in the following table. The three stages of special, educational needs (SEN) came into effect with the SEN Code of Practice in 2002; comparable information is therefore not available prior to 2003.
	The latest available information on special educational needs was published in the “Special Educational Needs in England: January 2011” Statistical First Release on 30 June 2011 at
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001007/index.shtml
	Data as at January 2012 will be published in the “Special Educational Needs in England: January 2012” Statistical First Release on 12 July 2012 at
	http://www.education.gov.uk/rsgateway/DB/SFR/s001075/index.shtml
	The information requested here, for 2012, will be available in Tables 1A and 1B.
	
		
			 All schools: Pupils with special educational needs (SEN)(1). As at January each year: 2003-11, England 
			  2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 
			 All schools          
			 Pupils on roll 8,375,545 8,347,730 8,287,195 8,231,050 8,167,715 8,121,955 8,092,280 8,098,360 8,123,865 
			 Pupils with statements 251,480 250,450 245,510 240,220 232,760 227,315 225,400 223,945 224,210 
			 SEN provision—School Action(2) 786,190 789,870 807,505 843,765 860,670 886,875 903,845 919,015 889,540 
			 SEN provision—School Action Plus(2) 333,935 354,770 369,385 394,550 418,160 447,465 472,810 503,050 500,155 
			 Pupils with SEN without statements(3) 1,175,515 1,204,720 1,238,435 1,302,160 1,344,505 1,402,895 1,447,205 1,481,035 1,449,685 
			           
			 State-funded schools          
			 Maintained nursery          
			 Pupils on roll 40,485 38,975 37,445 37,030 37,640 37,440 37,285 37,575 38,830 
			 Pupils with statements 550 465 410 325 310 265 285 265 250 
			 SEN provision—Early Years Action n/a 720 1,100 1,920 2,030 1,855 1,815 1,890 2,025 
			 SEN provision—Early Years Action Plus n/a 785 1,170 1,970 1,980 2,110 2,105 2,220 2,460 
			 Pupils with SEN without statements 4,460 4,270 4,110 3,885 4,015 3,960 3,920 4,110 4,490 
			           
			 State-funded primary(4, 5)          
			 Pupils on roll 4,309,775 4,254,205 4,205,665 4,150,595 4,110,750 4,090,400 4,077,350 4,096,580 4,137,755 
			 Pupils with statements 71,310 69,995 67,820 65,330 61,800 59,695 58,505 57,850 57,855 
			 SEN provision—School Action 475,350 467,230 468,555 483,180 485,260 486,555 482,015 486,960 467,615 
			 SEN provision—School Action Plus 209,950 219,020 224,315 234,185 243,630 254,545 262,325 273,635 274,950 
			 Pupils with SEN without statements 685,300 686,250 692,865 717,365 728,890 741,100 744,345 760,590 742,565 
			           
			 State-funded secondary(4, 6)          
			 Pupils on roll 3,328,730 3,353,360 3,349,220 3,347,500 3,325,625 3,294,575 3,278,130 3,278,485 3,262,635 
			 Pupils with statements 79,610 79,205 77,445 75,045 71,190 67,875 65,890 64,605 63,720 
			 SEN provision—School Action 310,640 321,735 337,605 358,420 373,140 398,255 419,810 428,835 418,935 
			 SEN provision—School Action Plus 121,950 133,070 142,140 156,640 170,710 188,805 206,555 217,085 212,480 
			 Pupils with SEN without statements 432,590 454,800 479,745 515,060 543,850 587,060 626,365 645,920 631,415 
			           
			 Maintained special(7)          
			 Pupils on roll 90,970 88,955 87,465 86,850 87,010 87,135 87,615 88,690 89,860 
			 Pupils with statements 86,370 85,175 84,145 83,850 83,645 83,600 84,295 85,445 86,660 
			 SEN provision—School Action 190 185 240 225 230 205 200 155 185 
			 SEN provision—School Action Plus 2,000 1,875 1,730 1,710 1,810 1,970 1,785 1,585 1,595 
			 Pupils with SEN without statements 2,195 2,060 1,970 1,935 2,040 2,175 2,375 2,145 2,245 
			           
			 Pupil Referral Units(8)          
			 Pupils on roll 17,525 20,330 22,480 23,670 24,165 25,290 24,760 15,550 14,050 
			 Pupils with statements 2,010 3,610 3,685 3,640 3,425 3,260 3,230 1,910 1,695 
			 SEN provision—School Action n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 1,175 770 
			 SEN provision—School Action Plus n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a n/a 8,495 8,630 
		
	
	
		
			 Pupils with SEN without statements 10,660 12,300 13,045 14,770 15,185 15,685 16,360 9,670 9,405 
			           
			 Other schools          
			 Independent(9)          
			 Pupils on roll 583,105 587,055 580,040 580,625 577,785 582,425 582,490 576,940 576,325 
			 Pupils with statements 6,780 7,290 7,255 7,355 7,760 8,055 8,690 9,470 9,750 
			 SEN provision—School Action n/a n/a n/a 15 x 0 5 0 5 
			 SEN provision—School Action Plus n/a n/a n/a x 0 0 5 5 5 
			 Pupils with SEN without statements 40,270 45,015 46,660 49,085 50,490 52,870 53,805 58,570 59,535 
			           
			 Non-maintained special          
			 Pupils on roll 4,955 4,845 4,880 4,785 4,740 4,695 4,655 4,540 4,415 
			 Pupils with statements 4,845 4,705 4,750 4,680 4,630 4,565 4,500 4,400 4,280 
			 SEN provision—School Action 5 5 10 10 5 5 x x x 
			 SEN provision—School Action Plus 30 20 30 45 30 35 40 25 25 
			 Pupils with SEN without statements 35 25 40 55 35 40 40 30 25 
			 n/a = Not available. x = 1 or 2 pupils. (1 )Includes pupils who are sole or dual main registrations. Excludes pupils in Alternative provision (except those in Pupil Referral Units). (2) Excludes independent schools and general hospital schools as data collected are not broken down by SEN provision for all years from 2003. Includes direct grant nurseries. (3) Includes pupils with SEN without statements in all school types. (4) Includes middle schools as deemed. (5) Includes primary academies. (6) Includes city technology colleges and secondary academies, including all-through academies. (7) Prior to 2009 information on pupils with SEN without statements was not collected from general hospital schools. General hospital schools are included from 2009. (8) Includes pupils registered with other providers and in further education colleges. In 2003-09 includes dual subsidiary registered pupils. (9) Includes direct grant nursery schools. Note: Totals may not appear to equal the sum of the component parts because numbers have been rounded to the nearest 5. Source: School Census

Special Educational Needs

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to the answer of 19 December 2011, Official Report, column 944W, on special educational needs: children, and to his Department's publication, Children with Special Educational Needs 2011: an analysis, for what reason local authority and regional level data were not included in the 2011 report; and if he will ensure that they are included in the 2012 report.

Sarah Teather: holding answer 16 July 2012
	Changes to the statistical publication, “Children with Special Educational Needs: an Analysis”, are determined when planning and producing the publication based on the immediate needs of the Department and its customers, requests and feedback on previous versions, departmental resources and availability of the analysis from other releases. Large amounts of analysis on special educational needs by local authority and region were published by the Department in earlier releases. To include the detail in the release “Children with Special Educational Needs: an Analysis” would have duplicated much of this information.
	The 2012 report will contain comment on local authority level figures in other statistical releases which are available and limited additional breakdowns of figures which have not been previously made public. Web links to these earlier releases will be included in the appropriate places in the report and additional data will be published alongside the main report.

Special Educational Needs

Sharon Hodgson: To ask the Secretary of State for Education with reference to page 12 of the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills' publication, “National Careers Service: The Right Advice at the Right Time”, how much he expects local authorities to contribute from their early intervention grant allocations towards supporting young people with special educational needs and disabilities to participate in education and training up to the age of 25; and what guidance he has issued to local authorities in respect of this duty and how to fund it.

Nick Gibb: holding answer 16 July 2012
	Section 68 of the Education and Skills Act 2008 requires local authorities to make available support that will encourage, enable and assist the participation of young people in education or training up to the age of 19. This duty is extended to the age of 25 in the case of individuals with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. The services offered by local authorities under this duty are targeted on overcoming barriers to continuing in education and training. In some cases, this may include careers guidance for young adults who need assistance assessing the education and training options available to them.
	The Department issued statutory guidance to local authorities on targeted support services for young people in April 2011. This is available on the DFE website at:
	http://media.education.gov.uk/assets/files/pdf/l/la%20guidance%20apr%202011.pdf
	Other than the elements highlighted in the statutory guidance, it is for local authorities to decide how they should meet their statutory responsibilities taking into account the needs of individuals. Government have allocated £2.3 billion to the Early Intervention Grant in 2012-13 and has given local authorities the flexibility to determine how it is spent.
	Local authorities have a power to undertake a learning difficulty Assessment for young people under the age of 25 who are receiving or are likely to receive post-16 education. Local authorities must have regard to statutory guidance when carrying out learning difficulty assessments. This is intended to help local authorities make consistent, effective and robust judgments that will lead to well-informed decisions relating to education and training for young people with learning difficulties and/or disabilities. Revised statutory guidance was published by the Department for Education in February 2012 and is available on the DFE website at:
	http://www.education.gov.uk/childrenandyoungpeople/send/g00203393/lda

DEFENCE

Afghanistan and Iraq: Peacekeeping Operations

Adam Holloway: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many infantry soldiers have been deployed to (a) Afghanistan and to (b) Iraq; and how many deployed to each country have been treated for (i) transient psychological distress, (ii) alcohol misuse, (iii) post traumatic stress disorder, (iv) depression, (v) mild traumatic brain injury and (vi) each other psychological condition during and since their deployment.

Andrew Robathan: Information relating to the total number of infantry soldiers deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq from 2001 and 2003 respectively, and the number of infantry soldiers treated during their deployment, is not available centrally in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	However, between 1 April 2007 and 31 May 2012, the number of Army infantry officers and soldiers, excluding infantry personnel in the Brigade of Gurkhas, who had deployed to Afghanistan was 25,300 and to Iraq was 7,910.
	Details of infantry personnel who had an episode of care at a Ministry of Defence Department of Community Mental Health or in-patient admission between April 2007 and March 2012, and who have been identified as previously deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq, are provided in the following table. An episode of care may be limited to an initial assessment, which may not subsequently require the individual receiving treatment.
	
		
			 Infantry personnel()who had an episode of care(1) at a MOD Department of Community Mental Health or in-patient admission between April 2007 and March 2012 who had previously deployed to Afghanistan and Iraq(2) 
			 Number 
			  Afghanistan Iraq 
			 Alcohol misuse 139 136 
			 Post traumatic stress disorder 234 136 
		
	
	
		
			 Depressive episode 163 156 
			 Mild traumatic brain injury(3) 178 (5)— 
			    
			 Other psychological conditions (including those which may be considered transient(4)):   
			 Other mood disorders (excluding depressive episode) 18 29 
			 Other neurotic disorder (excluding PTSD and adjustment disorder) 152 164 
			 Adjustment disorder 682 481 
			 Other psychoactive substance misuse (excluding alcohol) 9 (5)— 
			 Other mental health disorders 80 85 
			 No psychiatric disorder diagnosed 427 402 
			    
			 No International Classification of Disease classification provided 7 17 
			 (1) If personnel who have served in both Afghanistan and Iraq present with symptoms they are counted in both categories presented. If personnel have more than one episode of care for the same condition they are counted once against that condition. If a person has an episode of care for different conditions, they are counted once against each condition. (2) Data are based on the initial health assessment during a patient's first appointment, based on complaints presenting at that time. Final diagnosis may differ. (3) Data for mild traumatic brain injuries are compiled from information held by the relevant multi-disciplinary team at the Defence Medical Rehabilitation Centre at Headley Court for the period from 1 June 2008. (4) Assessments are made using Chapter 10 of the International Classification of Diseases, which does not use the term “transient psychological distress”. (5) In order to reduce the risk of individuals being identified, all numbers fewer than five have been suppressed and the symbol “—” used.

Amanatullah Ali

Andrew Tyrie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what information his Department holds on the arrest, treatment and rendition of Amanatullah Ali by US forces; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 13 July 2012
	I understand that the hon. Member's question refers to one of two Pakistani Lashkar-e-Taiba members who were captured by British Forces in and around Baghdad in February 2004 who then were immediately transferred to US detention in accordance with established practice at the time.
	The individuals were initially held in US detention in and around Baghdad, and subsequently transferred to a US detention facility in Afghanistan in March 2004. We have been assured that the detainees are held in a humane, safe and secure environment that meets international standards that are consistent with cultural and religious norms. The International Committee of the Red Cross has had regular access to the detainees.

Armed Forces: Homelessness

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what estimate he has made of the number of service personnel or their families in each branch of the armed services who sought assistance from the relevant service welfare organisations for assistance and advice on (a) obtaining state benefits, (b) housing repossession and (c) homelessness in each of the last two years;
	(2)  what estimate he has made of the number of service personnel and their families in each branch of the armed services who were declared homeless in each of the last two years;
	(3)  what estimate he has made of the number of service personnel in each branch of the armed services who have had their homes repossessed while they served in Afghanistan.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence (MOD) takes its duty of care for its service personnel very seriously. All service personnel have an entitlement to be accommodated by the MOD in service families accommodation, or in single living accommodation, as appropriate.
	No service personnel are left homeless. Should any service person living in their own home be subject to repossession, they would be re-housed under MOD policy. However, such an eventuality would be a private matter and no records of it are maintained by the MOD.

Armed Forces: Mass Media

Don Foster: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence for what reason the commitment introduced in the 2005 edition of his Department's Green Book that British forces would never deliberately target journalists or media facilities has been removed from the latest edition of the Green Book; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The Green Book is produced in consultation with editors and press and broadcasting organisations as a general guide to the procedures that the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MOD) will adopt in working with the media throughout the full spectrum of military operations.
	The current October 2010 edition states at paragraph 12, page 6:
	“It is also important to understand that UK Forces on Operations will not deliberately target individual correspondents”
	and is available at the following link:
	http://www.mod.uk/NR/rdonlyres/BAFF11F2-EF45-4A99-B8BA-A1BDA6AFE8A4/0/green_book_v7_011010.pdf
	The Green Book is in the process of being revised again and the MOD has recently consulted editors, press and broadcasting organisations on its contents. While there has been no change in the underlying policy, the initial draft of this proposed revision did not contain words along the lines quoted because they were considered unnecessary.
	There is no question of UK forces on operations ever intentionally targeting individual correspondents. Unless they are targeting our troops, such action would be illegal.

Armed Forces: Postal Services

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether changes have been made to postal services from the UK to personnel serving in Afghanistan since May 2010.

Nick Harvey: There have been no changes to the system for sending mail to armed forces personnel serving in Afghanistan since May 2010. The service provided is very similar to the one that was used to send mail to those who were deployed to Iraq.
	The provision of a free mail service to allow armed forces personnel serving in Iraq to receive mail from families and friends was first introduced in April 2003; this has since evolved into the Enduring Free Mail Service (EFMS). Armed forces personnel deployed on specified operations, including in Afghanistan, and on board ships supporting those operations, benefit from the EFMS. This is a joint venture between the British Forces' Post Office and the Royal Mail and enables friends and family members to send packages from the UK weighing up to 2kg free of charge.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many allegations of sexual assault made by members of the armed forces concluded with charges being (a) brought and (b) dropped in the latest period for which figures are available; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 6 July 2012, Official Report, column 822W. The following table contains the updated figures for 2012 and includes those cases that did not meet the Full Code test for prosecution for 2011.
	
		
			  Sexual assault referrals Directions Convictions Full Code test for prosecution not met 
			 2011 58 37 23 21 
			 2012 to 11 July 16 4 (1)1 — 
			 (1) Two ongoing 
		
	
	Allegations referred in any one year are not necessarily tried, or directed for trial in the same year.
	The Full Code test for prosecution has two main elements, relating to whether there is a realistic prospect of conviction, and the public interest, but there may be other reasons not to pursue a case, for example the accused may have been convicted of other offences and received a heavy sentence and after discussion with the victim a decision has been made not to proceed.

Armed Forces: Sexual Offences

Madeleine Moon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the answer of 26 June 2012, Official Report, column 195W, on armed forces: sexual offences, how many rape allegations were made by (a) female and (b) male members of the armed forces in each of the last three years; in how many of those cases (i) charges were directed for trial and (ii) trials were held; and if he will make a statement.

Andrew Robathan: The information requested is not immediately available and will take time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

Armoured Fighting Vehicles

Bob Ainsworth: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the export potential of the Light Protected Patrol Vehicle Foxhound; and if he will make a statement.

Gerald Howarth: holding answer 13 July 2012
	As set out in the “National Security Through Technology” White Paper CM8273 published February 2012, we must provide our armed forces with the best capabilities we can afford. A number of these capabilities, such as Foxhound, have export potential, and the Government are committed to supporting industry in realising that potential.
	While the company has received a number of inquiries from potential overseas customers, no firm export opportunities have, as yet, arisen. However, the UK Trade and Investment Defence and Security Organisation, as the Government lead for defence and security exports, is already exploring and supporting the aspirations of General Dynamics Land Systems-Force Protection Europe in any export opportunities which arise in relation to Foxhound. Its recent deployment on operations will enable us to assess its full capability.

Army

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish military advice he received on (a) the amalgamation of the Queen's Royal Lancers with the 9th/12th Royal Lancers and (b) a merger between the 1st and 2nd Royal Tank Regiments.

Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), in his announcement on 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1086, in which he said that Army 2020 calls for a greater focus in future on mobility and the ability to mount expeditionary warfare based around the air assault and armoured infantry brigades of the reaction forces. This continues the Army's evolution from the cold war posture that was reliant on more armoured units. The consequence of this concept of operations is a requirement to reduce the number of Royal Armoured Corps regiments from 11 to nine.
	The Army's decision on which regiments to remove from the order of battle was taken on the basis of advice provided by the Royal Armoured Corps which took account of a number of criteria. Although ensuring delivery of the correct capability in the most effective way was the overriding concern, the other criteria used included a desire to minimise the number of cap badge reductions to promote the regimental system, taking account of past amalgamations within the Royal Armoured Corps, so wherever possible those who amalgamated most recently were less likely to be affected, and merging or amalgamating regiments with similar history and tradition, and current capabilities.

Army

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence which (a) Army brigades, (b) Army Air Corps, (c) Household Cavalry and Royal Armoured Corps, (d) Royal Regiment Artillery, (e) Corps of Royal Engineers, (f) Royal Corps of Signals, (g) Royal Logistics Corps, (h) Army Medical Services, (i) Royal Military Police, (j) Royal Intelligence Corps, (k) Corps of Royal Electrical and Mechanical Engineers regiments will be based in (i) Scotland, (ii) England and (iii) Wales by 2020.

Nick Harvey: It is too early to say where specific formations and units will be based across the UK by 2020. However, the Army intends maintaining a significant presence across the UK.
	The Defence Infrastructure Organisation is leading work on the Ministry of Defence’s footprint strategy in order to deliver a Defence estate of the right size and shape that is sustainable and delivers the most cost-effective approach to future force basing. Initial decisions are expected to be made later this year.

Army

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when members of the Yorkshire Regiment 3rd Battalion were informed of the content of his Army 2020 statement.

Nick Harvey: All members of the British Army (including those units deployed on operations) should have been informed of the detail of the Army 2020 statement as close as reasonably practicable to the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), announcement to the House on 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1085.
	The briefing of members of the 3rd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment (3 Yorks), both those based in the UK and those deployed in Afghanistan, coincided with the announcement in the House.

Army

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the timetable is for the reduction in Army numbers to 82,000;
	(2)  what the size of the Army will be in each year up to 2020.

Nick Harvey: The precise timetable for the reduction in trained regular Army strength to 82,000, and therefore the size of the Army in any given year up to 2020, has not yet been finalised. These reductions will be achieved through a combination of both natural wastage and redundancy.

Army

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many personnel in each of the 17 major units proposed to be lost under the Army 2020 review will be deployed to other units.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 13 July 2012
	I refer the right hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), on 5 July 2012, Official Report, columns 1085-88, in which he said that an individual in a unit which is being withdrawn or merged is no more or less likely than any other individual with similar skills and service record to be selected for future redundancy. When units are withdrawn from the Army's order of battle their personnel will be reassigned to other units, where possible within the same regiment.
	While further redundancies will be required to reduce the Army to 82,000 regular personnel, the precise numbers and timing have yet to be decided. It is, however, clear that individuals will not be disadvantaged by the fact that they are in a unit which has been withdrawn under Army 2020.

Army

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral statement of 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1086, on Army 2020, how many of the 17 major units affected were within (a) 5 and (b) 10 per cent of full recruitment.

Nick Harvey: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) on 5 July 2012, Official Report, columns 1087-88, in which he announced changes to a number of units that will be withdrawn, amalgamated or merged resulting in the reduction overall of 17 units.
	Of these, eight units are within 5% (plus or minus) of their full unit establishment and a further six units are within 10% (plus or minus) of their full unit establishment. These figures include all regular Army personnel under the command of the unit’s commanding officer and therefore include Army personnel from other arms and corps employed at the unit.
	A range of criteria was used, including recruitment performance over 10 years, not just current levels.

Army

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many people were recruited into the 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards) from (a) Middlesbrough, (b) Redcar and Cleveland, (c) Stockton-on-Tees, (d) Hartlepool, (e) County Durham and (f) North Yorkshire in (i) 2008, (ii) 2009, (iii) 2010 and (iv) 2011.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 16 July 2012
	Information showing how many people were recruited from specific towns and areas is not held in the format requested and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Army

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what discussions he has had with the Green Howards Association on the proposed abolition of the 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards);
	(2)  what discussions he has had with the Royal British Legion on the proposed abolition of the 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards).

Nick Harvey: holding answer 16 July 2012
	No discussions were held with the Royal British Legion or the Green Howards Association about the withdrawal of the 2nd Battalion, The Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards). Discussions with regiments were led by the Chief of General Staff and his staff.

Army

Tom Blenkinsop: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) officers and (b) other ranks there are in the 2nd Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards).

Nick Harvey: As at 1 April 2012, there were 32 officers and 487 other ranks in the 2(nd) Battalion, the Yorkshire Regiment (Green Howards).
	These numbers represent the numbers of infantrymen in the battalion and do not include personnel from other cap badges which support the battalion (for example mechanics, administrators and medics).
	Individuals in a unit which is being withdrawn or merged are no more or less likely than any other individual with similar skills and service records to be selected for future redundancy. When units are withdrawn from the Army's order of battle their personnel will be reassigned to other units, where possible within the same regiment.

Army

Owen Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will estimate the proportion of soldiers in The 2nd Battalion, The Royal Welsh who will be absorbed into other battalions as part of his planned reorganisation of the army.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 16 July 2012
	I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) on 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1085, in which he said that an individual in a unit which is being withdrawn or merged is no more or less likely than any other individual with similar skills and service record to be selected for future redundancy. When units are withdrawn from the Army's order of battle their personnel will be reassigned to other units, where possible within the same regiment.
	While further redundancies will be required to reduce the Army to 82,000 regular personnel, the precise numbers and timing have yet to be decided. It is, however, clear that individuals will not be disadvantaged by the fact that they are in a unit which has been withdrawn under Army 2020.

Army: Germany

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence with reference to the strategic defence and security review, on what timescale troops will be withdrawn from Germany.

Nick Harvey: As part of the strategic defence and security review we announced our intention to return personnel based in Germany back to the UK by 2020.
	Following the announcement of Army 2020, the Army will now begin to work with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation to determine the optimum basing solution for the Army while making best use of the existing Defence estate. It is too early at this stage to give any more detail on the precise time scales for the withdrawal of troops from Germany.

Army: Germany

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding has been allocated for converting RAF bases to Army bases to achieve the planned withdrawal of UK troops from Germany in each financial year until 2020.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 13 July 2012
	It is too early to say at this time what funding has been allocated for converting RAF bases to Army bases.
	This project will deliver an estate of the right size and shape; that is sustainable and will deliver the most cost effective approach to Future Force 2020 basing.

Consultants

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much his Department spent on external consultants for services delivered in 2011-12.

Andrew Robathan: The final 2011-12 outturn on external consultancy is not yet available.
	In financial year 2010-11, the Ministry of Defence (MOD), including its Trading Fund agencies, spent £26 million on external consultancy contracts (as defined by the Cabinet Office). The MOD has made significant savings in external assistance in recent years. The following table provides expenditure information for the past six financial years:
	
		
			  £ million 
			 2005-06 261 
			 2006-07 129 
			 2007-08 120 
			 2008-09 106 
			 2009-10 79 
			 2010-11 26 
		
	
	We continue to minimise expenditure on consultancy in compliance with the tighter controls announced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer in May 2010.
	Expenditure on external consultancy is published annually in UK Defence Statistics (UKDS). The information for 2010-11 can be found online in the transparency supplement to the 2011 edition of UKDS under the heading External Assistance at the following address:
	http://www.dasa.mod.uk/modintranet/UKDS/UKDS2011/c1/trans_sup.php

Defence Equipment

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) missile tube training facilities and (b) nuclear transport vehicles of each equipment type are permanently based in each location in Scotland.

Nick Harvey: The Trident Training Facility at Her Majesty's Naval Base (HMNB) Clyde, Faslane, which includes the Royal Naval Armament Depot (RNAD) Coulport, is the only missile tube training facility in Scotland.
	The only nuclear transport vehicles permanently based in Scotland are the 11 Re-entry Body Assembly Intra-facility Transporters, which are used for the movement of assets only within the RNAD Coulport.

Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  at which universities the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme operates;
	(2)  whether his Department has any plans to extend the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme to a Scottish university;
	(3)  how many students from (a) Scotland, (b) England, (c) Wales, (d) Northern Ireland and (e) other countries have graduated through the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme in each year since 2001;
	(4)  what (a) financial and (b) other support is provided to students accepted onto the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme.

Andrew Robathan: The Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme is partnered by the universities of Aston, Birmingham, Loughborough, Newcastle, Northumbria and Southampton. In addition, the scheme also supports a limited number of students at the universities of Oxford and Cambridge and Imperial College London.
	There are currently no plans to extend the scheme beyond the current partner universities. However, the geographical extent of the scheme is kept under review.
	To provide the home county of origin of each student would require us to access individual records. This could be done only at disproportionate cost.
	The students receive an annual bursary of £4,000 from their respective single service and payment during training events. In addition, they can also claim appropriate expenditure incurred during training events. Students are supported academically and pastorally throughout their studies by the Defence Technical Undergraduate Scheme staff and also undertake a programme of personal development to prepare them for their future training and service in either the armed forces or for civilians as part of the Defence Engineering and Science Group.

European Defence Agency

Stephen McCabe: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much funding his Department has provided to the European Defence Agency in each year since 2010; and what funding has been allocated in each of the next three years.

Nick Harvey: The European Defence Agency (EDA)'s budget has been frozen at €30.5 million for 2010, 2011 and 2012.
	The amount paid by the Ministry of Defence to the EDA's budget has, however, fluctuated through this period owing to changes in exchange rates and cost share. It was £3.26 million in 2010, £3.64 million in 2011 and is estimated to be £3.37 million in 2012. The budget for 2013 and the Three Year Financial Framework will not be agreed until the EDA Ministerial Steering Board meet in November 2012.

Ex Gratia Payments

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what estimate his Department has made of the monetary value of ex gratia payments made through schemes administered by his Department in the last two years.

Andrew Robathan: The monetary value of ex gratia payments formally signed off in 2010-11 was some £19 million and in 2011-12 some £135,000.
	The figures for 2010-11 reflect the closure of two significant cases in that year.
	Expenditure on special payments (that is, ex gratia payments, compensation payments and extra-statutory and extra-regulatory payments), is disclosed in the MOD's Annual Report and Accounts each year.

Gibraltar

Caroline Dinenage: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  which Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels visited Gibraltar in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 prior to 31 May;
	(2)  which Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels visited Spanish ports in (a) 2010, (b) 2011 and (c) 2012 prior to 31 May 2012.

Nick Harvey: The Royal Navy and Royal Fleet Auxiliary vessels that visited Spain and Gibraltar in 2010, 2011 and 2012 are shown in the following lists:
	2010
	Spain
	HMS Chatham
	HMS Middleton
	HMS Monmouth
	HMS Kent
	HMS Lancaster
	HMS Atherstone
	HMS York
	HMS Raider
	HMS Tracker
	HMS St Albans
	HMS Montrose
	HMS Gloucester
	HMS Portland
	HMS Somerset
	RFA Gold Rover
	RFA Cardigan Bay
	Gibraltar
	HMS Enterprise
	HMS Manchester
	HMS St Albans
	HMS Kent
	HMS Northumberland
	HMS Somerset
	HMS Raider
	HMS Tracker
	HMS Chatham
	HMS Cumberland
	HMS Montrose
	RFA Diligence
	RFA Argus
	RFA Cardigan Bay
	2011
	Spain
	HMS Brocklesbury
	HMS Richmond
	HMS Albion
	HMS Grimsby
	HMS Monmouth
	HMS Montrose
	HMS Enterprise
	HMS Edinburgh
	RFA Bayleaf
	RFA Black Rover
	RFA Gold Rover
	Gibraltar
	HMS Argyll
	HMS Bangor
	HMS Ocean
	HMS Richmond
	HMS Iron Duke
	HMS Portland
	HMS York
	HMS Monmouth
	HMS Westminster
	HMS Liverpool
	HMS Cumberland
	HMS Albion
	HMS Sutherland
	HMS Cornwall
	HMS Quorn
	HMS Ramsey
	HMS Enterprise
	HMS St Albans
	HMS Brocklesby
	HMS Somerset
	RFA Cardigan Bay
	RFA Argus
	RFA Orangeleaf
	2012 (prior to May 31)
	Spain
	HMS Ledbury
	HMS Argyll
	Gibraltar
	HMS Ledbury
	HMS Daring
	HMS Westminster
	RFA Wave Knight
	This list does not include HMS Scimitar and HMS Sabre which are permanently based in Gibraltar.
	No Royal Navy submarines visited Spain or Gibraltar during this period.

Hercules Aircraft

James Gray: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many C-130J and K models are in temporary hangars at Marshalls of Cambridge; what the likely cost is of using the hangars; and what the associated costs are of hotel accommodation.

Peter Luff: The Ministry of Defence has no Hercules C-130 aircraft in temporary hangars at Marshalls of Cambridge. The company provides depth maintenance for Hercules aircraft under the Hercules Integrated Operational Support contract. RAF teams also utilise hangar space at Marshalls of Cambridge to undertake frontline maintenance that cannot be completed at RAF Brize Norton. This occurred on two occasions in the last financial year. A further aircraft was sent to Marshalls for frontline maintenance on 21 May 2012 and work is ongoing.
	Hangar costs for the first two aircraft were not separately identified from maintenance costs. Travel and subsistence costs have yet to be finalised, I will write to my hon. Friend when this information is available. No costs have yet been identified for the third aircraft.

HMS Victory

Andrew Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  whether his Department has reached any agreement with (a) Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc and (b) the Maritime Heritage Foundation on the treatment of any human remains from HMS Victory;
	(2)  whether his Department has authorised (a) the Maritime Heritage Foundation and (b) Odyssey Marine Exploration Inc to undertake any excavation and recovery work on the wreck site of HMS Victory.

Andrew Robathan: The Maritime Heritage Foundation has proposed a programme of work to address potential threats to the wreck site. We are considering this, together with recommendations by the advisory group, in accordance with the Deed of Gift, on the extent to which the work would be consistent with the archaeological principles set out in Annex A to the UNESCO Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage. No decisions have yet been taken. Any decisions made, and the basis for them, will be announced in due course.

HMS Victory

Dan Jarvis: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many parties interested in the management of the wreck site of HMS Victory 1744 he met prior to taking a decision to gift the site to the Maritime Heritage Foundation;
	(2)  why his Department did not use a bidding process to select charities interested in managing the HMS Victory 1744 site.

Andrew Robathan: The Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), did not meet any of the parties. During 2010 The Ministry of Defence and Department of Culture, Media and Sport launched a joint public consultation on options for the management of the wreck site of HMS Victory 1744. Only one group in responding to the consultation offered to manage the site.

Horses

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much was spent on maintaining horses used by the (a) Household Cavalry and (b) armed forces in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: Information on the costs of maintaining horses is not held centrally in the format requested.

Horses

Graham Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many horses were maintained by the armed forces in each of the last five years.

Andrew Robathan: Information on the number of horses maintained by the armed forces over the last five years is not held in the format requested. However, there are currently 501 horses maintained by the armed forces as at 13 July 2012.
	I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave on 7 June 2011, Official Report, column 5W, to my hon. Friend the Member for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire (Simon Hart) regarding the number of horses maintained on that date.

Lost Property

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many (a) USB sticks and (b) laptop computers issued by his Department were reported lost by employees in each of the last five years for which figures are available.

Andrew Robathan: The Ministry of Defence takes any theft of, loss of, attacks on, or misuse of, its information, networks and associated media storage devices very seriously and has robust procedures in place to mitigate against and investigate such occurrences. Furthermore, new processes, instructions and technological aids are continually being implemented to mitigate human errors and raise the awareness of every individual in the Department with regards to cyber security.
	The following table lists, by year, the number of reported losses of USB sticks and laptop computers centrally reported from 1 January 2008 to 12 July 2012. Figures will continue to be adjusted to incorporate subsequent recoveries of items, the reporting of additional losses and subsequent clarification of historic incidents.
	
		
			  USB sticks Laptop computers 
			 2008 91 182 
			 2009 76 27 
			 2010 46 261 
			 2011 39 69 
			 2012(1) 32 14 
			 (1) Incidents from 1 January to 12 July 2012. Notes: 1. These are only the incidents that were reported centrally and may not represent the true number of losses during this time. 2. The totals may include some losses relating to accounting anomalies during force rotation and/or disposal activities.

Military Bases

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the annual cost is of the British military bases in (a) Canada, (b) Cyprus, (c) the Falkland Islands, (d) Germany, (e) Gibraltar and (f) Ascension Island, in each category of expenditure.

Nick Harvey: The information is taking time to collate. I will write to the hon. Member as soon as it is available.

Olympic Games 2012

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  how many members of the Army are due to be on leave in July and August 2012;
	(2)  what changes have been made to the timeframe in which members of the Army must be ready for recall in order to be available to provide security at the London 2012 Olympics;
	(3)  how many members of the Army have been asked to (a) shorten their leave and (b) be ready for recall to provide security at the London 2012 Olympics;
	(4)  what changes have been made to Army leave provision for those providing security at the London 2012 Olympics;
	(5)  how much each rank of the Army is paid during post-operational tour leave; and how much each rank will be paid whilst deployed for venue security purposes during the London 2012 Olympics;
	(6)  pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 July 2012, on military support to Olympic security, what additional training those from the Army who will be deployed for venue security purposes during the London 2012 Olympics have received to enable them to perform this task; and what tasks they will be asked to perform;
	(7)  pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 July 2012, on military support to Olympic security, whether the forces will be given any additional payment above that that they would have earned on their post-operational tour leave;
	(8)  pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 July 2012, on military support to Olympic security, whether any special arrangements have been made for members of the forces to see their families during the period of the London 2012 Olympics;
	(9)  pursuant to the written ministerial statement of 12 July 2012, on military support to Olympic security, how many members of the services have had their post-operational tour leave cancelled.

Andrew Robathan: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The information on the number of army personnel due to be on leave in July and August 2012, and the information on the number of personnel who have been asked to shorten their leave is not held centrally and could be provided only at disproportionate cost.
	No members of the armed forces have had their post-operational tour leave cancelled. As the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), confirmed in his written statement on 12 July 2012, Official Report, columns 42-43WS, we will ensure that all those taking part receive their full leave entitlement, even if it has to be rescheduled.
	Personnel from all three armed forces are contributing to providing safety and security for the Olympics. We have planned for 13,500 personnel for some time to provide a range of support. A number of additional units were also warned earlier this year that they may be required for Olympic duties and their notice to move could be subject to change. Notice to move has been brought forward in most cases by between five to nine days.
	The basic pay for all members of the armed forces does not change whether on duty or on leave. The normal package of allowances will be payable to personnel to recognise living conditions and separation, the most significant of which is longer separation allowance.
	Personnel remain free to see their families on days off. We are currently looking at what measures can be taken to recognise their efforts.
	All those personnel deployed for Olympics duties will be suitably trained for the tasks they are required to do. Tasks will principally include pedestrian and vehicle screening, and perimeter security.

Olympic Games 2012

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence during the period of the London 2012 Olympics, what remaining capacity the armed forces have to meet further requests from other Government Departments to deploy at short notice; and how many personnel so deployed would have to be recalled from leave.

Nick Harvey: Defence retains a number of capabilities to cover a broad range of national security and other contingent tasks in support of other Government Departments. Some of these capabilities are held at readiness to fulfil such requirements and the associated personnel are therefore fully aware of their notice to move.

Olympic Games 2012

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether any of the armed forces units called on to provide extra security for the London 2012 Olympics are proposed to be abolished under his Department's Army 2020 review.

Nick Harvey: The only formed ‘unit’ being called on to provide the extra 3,500 venue security force which was affected by Army 2020 is 5th Battalion The Royal Regiment of Scotland (the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders).

Piracy

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what assessment he has made of the effectiveness of the extension of Operation Atalanta as a means of tackling piracy; and if he will make a statement.

Nick Harvey: Op Atalanta continues to deter and prevent piracy off the Horn of Africa; in particular, through its protection of World Food Programme, African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) and other vulnerable shipping. Since its inception in 2008, there has been a clear decline in the number of successful pirate attacks. The extension of the Op Atalanta mandate in March 2012 until December 2014 will ensure it can continue this work.
	As part of the mandate extension, the Operation Commander was authorised to carry out Disruption of Pirate Logistic Dumps (DPLD) ashore and the first such activity took place in May 2012. This was deemed a success and both impacted upon the pirates' capability to launch attacks and sent a strong message to other pirates that the international community will take the necessary action to prevent piracy in the region.

Radio Frequencies

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what progress has been made on his Department's consultation on the release of the 870-872 and 915-917 MHz bandwidths; and if he will make a statement on timelines.

Peter Luff: holding answer 13 July 2012
	The Ministry of Defence is currently liaising with a number of other Government Departments and Ofcom to conduct the technical and regulatory analysis required to enable the sharing of the spectrum in 870-872 and 915-917MHz. I will write to the hon. Member once the position is clearer.

Reserve Forces

Jim Murphy: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what targets he has set for the recruitment of reserves; and by what date he expects to have established a contingent of 30,000 reserves.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 12 July 2012
	The territorial component of the Army has set a manpower target of 30,000 trained reservists by 2018. The Royal Auxiliary Air Force has a target of 1,800 and the Royal Navy and Royal Marine Reserve a target of 3,100 by 2018.

Reserve Forces

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how much training (a) before and (b) after deployment his Department requires from reservists with six months deployed service.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 12 July 2012
	The training requirement depends on the location concerned. Each operational theatre has a stated training standard that both regular and reservist must attain before they are allowed to deploy. At the end of the deployment the reservist returns to the UK. They do not undertake any further mission specific training but they will begin a demobilisation process. They will then return to their reserve unit and take part in its routine training activities.
	Currently, the most onerous training regime is for Operation Herrick in Afghanistan. A reservist will undertake an uplifted programme within their reserve unit for one year, then undergo three weeks centralised training where they demonstrate that they can meet regular standards and receive initial threat-based individual training. They will then join the regular unit for approximately three months collective training before deployment into theatre.

Reserve Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the contingency budget is for the initiation of his reforms to the reserve forces.

Andrew Robathan: To deliver the future reserves, the Ministry of Defence is planning to invest an additional £1.8 billion over the next 10 years.

Reserve Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what legislative proposals he plans to bring forward to encourage employers to release employees to serve in the Territorial Army.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the statement made by the Secretary of State for Defence, my right hon. Friend the Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond) on 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1085, in which he said that a consultation paper would be published in the autumn. Following consultation, informed decisions will be made early next year including on any legislation necessary to underpin and support our vision for the Reserves.

Reserve Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the membership is of the independent scrutiny team considering the process of reshaping of the reserves.

Andrew Robathan: The independent scrutiny team will be headed up by Lieutenant General (retd) Robin Brims and the composition will be announced in due course.

Reserve Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what additional post-deployment rest and recuperation will be made available for reservists.

Andrew Robathan: Post operational leave (POL) is awarded to regular and reserve personnel as a result of time spent on a qualifying operational deployment. When a reservist is called into permanent service and serves in a theatre of operations for which POL is granted then, in the same way as regular personnel, they will gain one day of POL for every nine days in theatre. There is no qualifying period before POL can be received and entitlement commences on the day that personnel deploy. POL is taken once the deployment has been completed.
	In addition most operational deployments will enable a period of rest and recuperation (R&R), to be undertaken during the deployment.

Reserve Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral statement of 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1094, on Army 2020, what new training kit, uniforms and equipment have been purchased for the reservists; and what the timescale is for its delivery.

Andrew Robathan: We have allocated an additional £1.8 billion over 10 years to ensure that reservists will receive the kit and the training they need to meet their future roles.
	As part of their fully integrated role under Army 2020, equipment is now being delivered to the reserves. This includes modern vehicles, such as refurbished weapons mounted installations kit Land Rovers (RWMIK) with the delivery of the initial tranche of 48 starting in October 2012, and a further 12 for a training fleet being delivered once they are no longer required for Operation HERRICK training, Land Rovers (784 by December 2012) and the latest MAN support vehicles (876 by March 2013); Bowman radios, previously withdrawn from the reserves in 2008-09, now available for issue in September 2012 and overseas training exercises from October 2012; and personal combat system combat uniform (issued to all personnel by March 2013).

Reserve Forces

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence pursuant to the oral statement of 5 July 2012, Official Report, column 1094, on Army 2020, how many formed sub-units and formed units of reservists will be part of the adaptable force.

Andrew Robathan: The process of reshaping the reserve for their future role has already begun but further work is required to determine the precise number of reserve units and sub-units which will form part of the integrated reaction and adaptable forces.
	This work is dependent on the future lay-down of regular units with which reserve units will be paired for training, force generation and integration on operations. The intent is to finalise the structure and laydown of Army reserve units by the end of the year, as part of the Army basing plan.

Reserve Forces

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what (a) assessment he has made of the prospects for and (b) targets have been set in respect of recruitment to the new 502 (Ulster) Reserve Squadron at JHC Station Aldergrove;
	(2)  what resources his Department has allocated for the development of the 502 (Ulster) Reserve Squadron at JHC Station Aldergrove.

Andrew Robathan: The prospects for recruiting into 502 (Ulster) Sqn RAuxAF are good. The Reserve components of the Royal Navy and Army in Northern Ireland are already strongly supported and the historical association between the Royal Air Force and the people of Northern Ireland augurs well for the unit. Recruitment for the project team and leadership elements will commence within the next six months, followed by recruitment of part time volunteers. I anticipate the Squadron will reach full manning of some 130 by early 2016.
	The project has been allocated some £1.5 million over the next four years while the build up is taking place. Thereafter running costs are likely to be in the region of £650,000 per year.

Reserve Forces

Lady Hermon: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what funding he has made available to reserve forces in Northern Ireland to fulfil the recruitment requirement in Future Reserves 2020.

Andrew Robathan: As part of the Future Reserves 2020, the armed forces plan to spend £7.7 million on the reserves recruiting campaign which will include recruitment activity in Northern Ireland. The single services are now drawing up plans for their marketing campaigns in financial year 2013-14.

Reserve Forces

Bridget Phillipson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make an assessment of the effect of his proposals to increase the period of time during which reservists will train and deploy on their mental health.

Andrew Robathan: The mental health of all military personnel, both regulars and reservists, is of paramount importance. Implementation of the recommendations of the Future Reserves 2020 (FR20) Review will take place over the next few years, and any possible implications for the mental health of reserve personnel will be taken into account during this process.
	While mobilised for deployment, all reservists will continue to be entitled to the same mental health care as regular personnel, which is provided by the Defence Medical Services. Following demobilisation, any reservist who believes that the deployment may have adversely affected their mental health is entitled to apply to the Reserves Mental Health Programme (RMHP) for assessment and treatment via one of the Ministry of Defence's 15 Departments of Community Mental Health (DCMHs). These entitlements will not be affected by the FR20 proposals.

Royal Regiment of Scotland

Alan Reid: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the (a) recruitment target and (b) level of recruitment was for each battalion of the Royal Regiment of Scotland in each year since the Regiment was formed.

Nick Harvey: The Royal Regiment of Scotland was formed from the six regiments of the Scottish Division into a single regiment of five regular battalions and two reserve battalions in March 2006.
	The Army sets recruitment targets at regimental level. Recruits are then allocated to the battalion within their chosen regiment where the demand is greatest. Priority is given to battalions preparing for operations.
	Recruiting figures and manning levels for the Royal Regiment of Scotland since its formation are shown in the following table.
	
		
			 Royal Regt Scotland 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12  
			 Establishment 2,780 2,788 2,818 2,782 2,775 2,764 
			 Strength 2,461 2,518 2,311 2,332 2,376 2,410 
			 +/- -319 -270 -507 -450 -399 -354 
			        
			 Recruiting Target 556 486 545 688 455 671 
			 Actual 418 262 311 639 456 641 
			 +/- -138 -224 -234 -49 1 -30 
		
	
	The recruitment target figures for 2010-11 are artificially low due to a nine month pause in infantry training.

Royal Regiment of Scotland

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence from where he expects recruits to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders to be drawn under his Department's proposals for restructuring the Army.

Nick Harvey: holding answer 13 July 2012
	Infantry recruits are not limited to joining regiments or battalions from any particular geographic location. Recruits state their regimental preference during the selection process at their recruiting office, and their battalion preference during Phase One training.
	Recruits are asked to make three choices of regiment, battalion and job or trade. While the Army attempts to allocate recruits to their first choice, this will depend on their suitability for their chosen trade and vacancies within individual battalions. Priority is given to battalions preparing for operations.
	In his announcement of 5 July 2012, Official Report, columns 1087-88, the Secretary of State for Defence, the right hon. Member for Runnymede and Weybridge (Mr Hammond), announced that the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, 5th Battalion the Royal Regiment of Scotland, will be re-roled as a public duties company. The Public Duties Incremental Company (PDIC) will be made up of troops who will be drawn from the remaining four battalions of The Royal Regiment of Scotland and will rotate through the company.

Departmental Staff

Stephen Barclay: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many full-time equivalent officials in his Department are working on the delivery of urgent operational requirements.

Peter Luff: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The number of staff working on the delivery of urgent operational requirements (UORs) will vary depending upon the number and complexity of UORs that are in progress at any particular time. Currently, there are approximately 455 full-time equivalent Defence equipment & support personnel employed in their delivery. Additional personnel across the Ministry of Defence are engaged in ongoing support to equipment delivered through the UOR process including the provision of technical advice, inspection, integration, testing and pre-deployment training. The additional number of personnel engaged in these activities could be provided only at disproportionate cost.

Trident Submarines

Angus Robertson: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what representations he has received from the First Minister of Wales and Welsh Assembly Government on the relocation of the Trident nuclear weapons system to Milford Haven.

Nick Harvey: I have not received any official representations from the First Minister of Wales or the Welsh Assembly Government regarding the basing in Wales of the nuclear deterrent fleet. The UK is not making plans for Scottish independence and is not making plans to move the nuclear deterrent or other submarines from Her Majesty's Naval Base Clyde. The UK Government position is clear: Scotland benefits from being part of the UK and the UK benefits from having Scotland within it.

Veterans: Radiation Exposure

Andrew Miller: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence if he will publish the terms of his Department's settlement proposal for British nuclear test programme veterans, including the total sums discussed by the parties.

Andrew Robathan: In accordance with the wishes of Mr Justice Foskett of the High Court discussions were held between representatives of the Ministry of Defence and the claimants involved in the Atomic Veterans group litigation. I am unable to publish the terms of the discussions because these were and remain subject to a confidentiality agreement between the parties.
	Such discussions took place before the hearings conducted by the Court of Appeal and Supreme Court in which both courts ruled against the Atomic Veterans case proceeding.

Veterans: Teachers

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence how many service personnel have participated in the Troops to Teachers programme since its inception.

Andrew Robathan: I refer the hon. Member to the answer given by the Minister for Schools, my hon. Friend the Member for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton (Mr Gibb), on 13 July 2012, Official Report, column 421W.

Wimbledon Tennis Championships

Kevan Jones: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence 
	(1)  what the criteria were for selection for armed forces personnel deployed at the Wimbledon tennis championships this month;
	(2)  how many armed forces personnel were deployed at the Wimbledon tennis championships this month; and what the cost to the public purse was of such deployments.

Andrew Robathan: Non-commissioned service personnel are invited to volunteer as service stewards at the Wimbledon tennis championships. Successful volunteers are selected on their military character, presentation, ability to speak confidently and capability to work with minimal supervision. They must have passed their most recent fitness test, be medically fit and have authorised annual leave for the full period.
	In 2012, 315 armed forces personnel supported the Wimbledon tennis championships. These personnel took annual leave for the full period and did not claim travel or subsistence costs. The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club paid each individual a daily rate of accommodation and food allowance for each day of the championships.

WORK AND PENSIONS

Atos Healthcare

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 27 February 2012, Official Report, columns 24-5W, on Atos Healthcare: manpower, when he plans to take a decision on re-introducing Atos Healthcare professionals into benefit centres.

Chris Grayling: The deployment of Atos Healthcare Professionals in benefit centres was trialled to see whether it would improve communications between the Healthcare Professionals and the DWP Decision Makers, as recommended by Professor Malcolm Harrington.
	A telephone advice line was formally introduced from December last year, whereby Decision Makers are able to call Healthcare Professionals to discuss individual cases on which they require further clarification. This provides a more responsive and cost effective service than face to face deployment.
	This along with the other recommendations from Professor Harrington's first review are continuing to be monitored and evaluated to support the ongoing programme of improvements the Government has committed to.
	DWP are completing a series of evaluation reports and the findings will feed into Professor Harrington third independent review, expected to be published in November. Based on the findings, decisions will be made later in the year on implementing further recommendations to improve the work capability assessment process, including whether to trial again HCP deployment in benefit centres.

bmibaby: Redundancy

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what support he plans to provide to pilots who may be made redundant as a result of the closure of the airline bmibaby to find new jobs which match their skillsets.

Chris Grayling: Jobcentre Plus through its Rapid Response Service is working closely with bmibaby to deliver a comprehensive package of support to pilots and other staff affected by potential redundancies.
	The support package includes Jobsfairs which were held 13-14 June which were opened by the bmibaby managing director These were attended by 24 national and international employers.
	These were followed by another Jobsfair on 18 June. In attendance were national and international manufacturing companies.
	Currently a two day Jobsfair is under way in West Drayton (London) at which other UK airlines are offering jobs and support.
	In addition, a Jobcentre Plus specialist adviser has been seconded to work at bmi headquarters at East Midlands airport, providing advice and guidance to support those involved in the redundancy situation. Further support includes an event aimed specifically at pilots and cabin crew which is currently being planned.

Child Maintenance

Jessica Morden: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  how many families in Newport East constituency are using the Child Support Agency for maintenance payments;
	(2)  what the total uncollected arrears is for Child Support Agency-managed maintenance payments in Newport East constituency.

Maria Miller: The Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission is responsible for the child maintenance system. I have asked the Child Maintenance Commissioner to write to the hon. Member with the information requested and I have seen the response.
	Letter from Noel Shanahan
	In reply to your recent Parliamentary Question about the Child Support Agency, the Secretary of State promised a substantive reply from the Child Maintenance Commissioner as the Child Support Agency is now the responsibility of the Child Maintenance and Enforcement Commission (“the Commission”).
	and
	You asked the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, what the total uncollected arrears is for Child Support Agency-managed maintenance payments in Newport East constituency.
	In the quarter to March 2012, there were 1,960 Child Support Agency cases where the parent with care resides in Newport East Parliamentary Constituency.
	In the year to March 2012, the total amount of maintenance collected and arranged for those cases where the parent with care resides in Newport East Parliamentary Constituency was £2,462,000 of which £874,000 was arrears.
	In March 2012, the total amount of outstanding arrears owed by non-resident parents on those cases where the parent with care resides in Newport East Parliamentary Constituency stood at £6,479,000. £3,598,000 of this is owed specifically to the parents with care with the remainder owed to the Secretary of State.

Employers' Liability

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the answer of 30 April 2012, Official Report, column 1319W, on employers' liability, when he expects to provide an update on the progress of the Employers' Liability Insurance Bureau; what has caused the delay in providing an update; and if he will make a statement.

Chris Grayling: I appreciate that the Government's response to the consultation is taking longer to publish than many had hoped. However, the issues raised are complex, and to ensure we get this right we have been working intensely with stakeholders, including the insurance industry, over the past 18 months to find a solution.

Employment and Support Allowance

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what proportion of claimants found not fit for work were placed in (a) the support group and (b) on a work related activity group in the latest period for which figures are available.

Chris Grayling: The Department regularly publishes official statistics on employment and support allowance (ESA) and the work capability assessment (WCA). The latest report was published in April 2012 and can be found on the internet at the following link:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/workingage/index.php?page=esa_wca

Employment Schemes

Karen Lumley: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people joined the Work programme in 2011-12 in (a) Worcestershire and (b) Redditch.

Chris Grayling: The number of people taking part in the Work programme for the period 1 June 2011 to 31 January 2012 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Type 
			 Area Referrals Attachments 
			 County—Worcestershire 3,390 3,200 
			 Local authority—Redditch 700 680 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10; some additional disclosure control has also been applied. Figures are refreshed each quarter and are subject to change. 2. Referrals: Referrals shown are ‘net’ referrals which do not include rejections, cancellations or referrals to ESA information sessions. 3. Attachments: The date of the first engagement activity between the provider and the participant as recorded on the payment administrative system. 4. County: The claimant’s county at the time of referral. 5. Local authority: The claimant’s local authority at the time of referral. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate (IGS).

Employment Schemes

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people identified as having (a) drug and (b) alcohol problems have been referred to the Work programme so far.

Chris Grayling: The information for the period 1 June 2011 to 31 January 2012 is in the following table:
	
		
			 Primary health condition Number 
			 Alcoholism 1,810 
			 Drug abuse 1,150 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are cumulative and are rounded to the nearest 10. Totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Referrals shown are 'net' referrals which do not include rejections, cancellations or referrals to ESA information systems. 3. Primary health condition is for employment and support allowance/incapacity benefit customers only. Causes of incapacity are based on the International Classification of Diseases, 10th Revision, published by the World Health Organisation. Medical condition is based on evidence provided and this in itself does not confer entitlement to employment and support allowance/incapacity benefit. Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate (IGS).

Employment Schemes

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions pursuant to the answer of 25 June 2012, Official Report, column 6, on jobseeker training, what standards companies are required to meet before they are approved to provide placements for Work Programme participants.

Chris Grayling: Work Programme providers and their supply chain partners are obligated under the terms of their contracts to ensure the safety and well being of participants on provision. This includes an appropriate health and safety induction, training and supervision while participants are on work placement.
	All providers should have systems in place for checking that participants are engaged in a healthy and safe working environment and that the employer has appropriate Employers Liability Insurance in place. Providers are also responsible for ensuring that participants are not exploited. Prior to arranging work experience with an employer, providers should check that the placement is genuine, and that the participant does not fill a role which would otherwise have been a vacancy.

Employment Schemes

Kerry McCarthy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what discussions his Department has had with Close Protection UK on the Work Programme.

Chris Grayling: The Department places responsibility for managing relationships with companies providing work placements in the hands of Work Programme providers. Therefore, the Department has no direct interaction with companies. Consequently, although the Department has not had direct discussions with Close Protection UK, Work Programme providers who have placed individuals with this company have had the appropriate discussions with them.

Employment Schemes: Bexley

David Evennett: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Bexleyheath and Crayford constituency and (b) the London borough of Bexley have been required to take part in the Work programme since its inception.

Chris Grayling: The number of mandatory referrals to the Work programme for the period 1 June 2011 to 31 January 2012 is shown in the following table:
	
		
			 Area Mandatory referral 
			 Parliamentary constituency—Bexleyheath and Crayford 670 
			 Local authority—Bexley 1,660 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are cumulative and rounded to the nearest 10 to avoid data disclosure. 2. Referrals shown are ‘net’ referrals which do not include rejections, cancellations or referrals to ESA information sessions. 3. Geographies are at the time of referral. 4. Customer groups are assigned by Jobcentre Plus, on the basis of a claimant's circumstances, and benefit they receive. A small number of claimants appear in an incorrect group caused by the way information is recorded on the administrative system. 5. Mandatory referrals are classified as referrals to the following customer groups; JSA 18-24, JSA 25+, JSA NEET, JSA Claiming 22 of 24 Mths, JSA ExIB, ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory and ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory ExIB. More detailed information can be found at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-pg-chapter-2.pdf Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate (IGS)

Employment Schemes: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people from Birmingham, Ladywood constituency have (a) volunteered and (b) been required to take part in the Work Programme in the last 12 months.

Chris Grayling: The number of voluntary and mandatory referrals to the Work Programme for the period 1 June 2011 to 31 January 2012 are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Referral type 
			 Parliamentary constituency Voluntary Mandatory 
			 Birmingham, Ladywood 50 3,580 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are cumulative and rounded to the nearest 10 to avoid data disclosure. 2. Referrals shown are 'net' referrals which do not include rejections, cancellations or referrals to ESA information sessions. 3. Geographies are at the time of referral. 4. Customer groups are assigned by Jobcentre Plus, on the basis of a claimant's circumstances, and benefit they receive. A small number of claimants appear in an incorrect group caused by the way information is recorded on the administrative system. 5. Mandatory referrals are classified as referrals to the following customer groups; JSA 18-24, JSA 25+, JSA NEET, JSA Claiming 22 of 24 Mths, JSA ExIB, ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory and ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory ExIB. More detailed information can be found at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-pg-chapter-2.pdf Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate (IGS)

Employment Schemes: Scotland

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people from (a) Scotland, (b) each local authority in Scotland and (c) each parliamentary constituency in Scotland have (i) volunteered and (ii) been required to take part in the Work programme in the last 12 months.

Chris Grayling: The number of people taking part in the Work programme in the last 12 months for which figures are available (1 June 2011 to 31 January 2012) are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Referral type 
			 Area Mandatory Voluntary 
			 (a) Region   
			 Scotland 56,310 1,770 
			    
			 (b) Local authority   
			 Aberdeen 1,240 50 
			 Aberdeenshire 660 30 
			 Angus 880 70 
			 Argyll and Bute 750 30 
			 Clackmannanshire 770 — 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 960 20 
			 Dundee 2,310 30 
			 East Ayrshire 2,130 30 
			 East Dunbartonshire 670 20 
			 East Lothian 680 40 
			 East Renfrewshire 490 10 
			 Edinburgh 4,090 240 
			 Falkirk 1,630 20 
		
	
	
		
			 Fife 4,700 100 
			 Glasgow 11,280 190 
			 Highland (Islands) 1,380 40 
			 Inverclyde 910 40 
			 Midlothian 710 60 
			 Moray 470 10 
			 North Ayrshire 2,290 90 
			 North Lanarkshire 4,490 120 
			 Orkney 90 — 
			 Perth and Kinross 620 40 
			 Renfrewshire 2,090 80 
			 Scottish Borders 860 70 
			 Shetland 50 10 
			 South Ayrshire 990 50 
			 South Lanarkshire 3,620 90 
			 Stirling 610 10 
			 West Dunbartonshire 1,940 20 
			 West Lothian 1,590 150 
			 Western Isles 200 — 
			 Unknown 150 — 
			    
			 (c) Parliamentary constituency   
			 Aberdeen North 770 40 
			 Aberdeen South 420 10 
			 Airdrie and Shotts 1,210 50 
			 Angus 790 60 
			 Argyll and Bute 750 30 
			 Ayr, Carrick and Cumnock 1,220 40 
			 Banff and Buchan 400 30 
			 Berwickshire, Roxburgh and Selkirk 780 60 
			 Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross 570 TO 
			 Central Ayrshire 980 40 
			 Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill 1,160 40 
			 Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East 940 20 
			 Dumfries and Galloway 660 10 
			 Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale 510 20 
			 Dundee East 1,070 20 
			 Dundee West 1,330 20 
			 Dunfermline and West Fife 1,240 10 
			 East Dunbartonshire 350 10 
			 East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow 960 50 
			 East Lothian 680 40 
			 East Renfrewshire 490 10 
			 Edinburgh East 1,040 60 
			 Edinburgh North and Leith 1,120 40 
			 Edinburgh South 530 30 
			 Edinburgh South West 830 80 
			 Edinburgh West 560 30 
			 Na h-Eileanan an Iar 200 — 
			 Falkirk 1,090 10 
			 Glasgow Central 1,650 40 
			 Glasgow East 1,950 40 
			 Glasgow North 980 10 
			 Glasgow North East 1,990 20 
		
	
	
		
			 Glasgow North West 1,590 20 
			 Glasgow South 1,370 10 
			 Glasgow South West 1,720 50 
			 Glenrothes 1,500 20 
			 Gordon 180 — 
			 Inverclyde 910 40 
			 Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey 550 20 
			 Kilmarnock and Loudoun 1,590 20 
			 Kirkcaldy and Cowdenbeath 1,590 60 
			 Lanark and Hamilton East 1,120 20 
			 Linlithgow and East Falkirk 1,150 80 
			 Livingston 980 70 
			 Midlothian 710 60 
			 Moray 470 10 
			 Motherwell and Wishaw 1,500 20 
			 North Ayrshire and Arran 1,620 70 
			 North East Fife 370 — 
			 Ochil and South Perthshire 920 10 
			 Orkney and Shetland 140 20 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire North 800 20 
			 Paisley and Renfrewshire South 1,280 60 
			 Perth and North Perthshire 460 40 
			 Ross, Skye and Lochaber 250 10 
			 Rutherglen and Hamilton West 1,410 20 
			 Stirling 610 10 
			 West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine 130 — 
			 West Dunbartonshire 1,940 20 
			 Unknown 210 10 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are cumulative and rounded to the nearest ten to avoid data disclosure. “—”indicates nil or negligible. 2. The components of the table may not sum to the total due to independent rounding. 3. Referrals shown are 'net referrals which do not include rejections, cancellations or referrals to ESA information sessions. 4. Geographies are at the time of referral. 5. Customer groups are assigned by Jobcentre Plus, on the basis of a claimant's circumstances, and benefit they receive. A small number of claimants appear in an incorrect group caused by the way information is recorded on the administrative system. 6. Mandatory referrals are classified as referrals to the following customer groups. 7. JSA 18-24, JSA 25+, JSA NEET, JSA Claiming 22 of 24 Mths, JSA ExIB, ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory and ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory ExIB. More detailed information can be found at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-pg-chapter-2.pdf Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate (IGS)

Employment Schemes: Scotland

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in (a) Scotland and (b) Kilmarnock and Loudoun constituency have (i) volunteered and (ii) been required to take part in the work programme in the last 12 months.

Chris Grayling: The number of people taking part in the Work Programme in the last 12 months for which figures are available (1 June 2011 to 31 January 2012) are shown in the following table.
	
		
			  Referral type 
			 Area Mandatory Voluntary 
			 Region—Scotland 56,310 1,770 
		
	
	
		
			 Parliamentary constituency—Kilmarnock and Loudoun 1,590 20 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are cumulative and rounded to the nearest 10. 2. Referrals shown are 'net' referrals which do not include rejections, cancellations or referrals to ESA information sessions. 3. Geographies are at the time of referral. 4. Customer groups are assigned by Jobcentre Plus, on the basis of a claimant's circumstances, and benefit they receive. A small number of claimants appear in an incorrect group caused by the way information is recorded on the administrative system. 5. Mandatory referrals are classified as referrals to the following customer groups; JSA 18-24, JSA 25+, JSA NEET, JSA Claiming 22 of 24 Mths, JSA ExlB, ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory and ESA (IR) WRAG 3/6 Mth Mandatory ExiB. More detailed information can be found at: http://www.dwp.gov.uk/docs/wp-pg-chapter-2.pdf Source: DWP Information, Governance and Security Directorate (IGS)

Employment Schemes: Young People

Frank Roy: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many 18 to 24-year-olds resident in Motherwell and Wishaw constituency have taken up one of the (a) additional work experience places and (b) subsidised jobs provided under the Youth Contract.

Chris Grayling: The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider whether it is feasible to produce the statistics requested within the disproportionate cost limit, and if so, will issue them in an official statistics release in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Housing Benefit: Young People

William Bain: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people under the age of 25 and in receipt of housing benefit were (a) in employment and (b) not in employment in each (i) parliamentary constituency and (ii) local authority area in (A) England, (B) Scotland and (C) Wales in each of the last four financial years.

Steve Webb: Information is not readily available for housing benefit recipients aged under 25 at parliamentary constituency level, and to provide it would incur disproportionate cost.
	The information requested by local authority is not available.
	The economic status of all housing benefit (HB) recipients is not available. Information is only available for those HB recipients whose claim is not passported: that is for those who do not receive either income support, jobseeker’s allowance (income-based), employment and support allowance (income-based), or pension credit (guaranteed credit). A small proportion of the passported cases will be in part-time employment.
	The available information for housing benefit recipients-aged under 25 by local authority has been placed in the Library.

Incapacity Benefit

Stephen Hepburn: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people were in receipt of incapacity benefit in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each of the last five years.

Chris Grayling: Statistics on how many people were in receipt of incapacity benefit in (a) Jarrow constituency, (b) South Tyneside, (c) the North East and (d) the UK in each of the last five years are available on the Department's website at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/index.php?page=tabtool
	Guidance for users is available at:
	http://research.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/tabtools/guidance.pdf

Income Support

Caroline Flint: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of people in the UK in receipt of income support who have parental responsibility for a child under the age of 15 who ordinarily resides with that person or are in receipt of a qualifying component.

Chris Grayling: As at May 2010, the number of children under the age of 15 years and dependent on a parent or guardian who is claiming income support, in Great Britain was 1,563,850.
	Notes:
	1. The figure is rounded to the nearest 10.
	2. Data for Northern Ireland is the responsibility of the Department for Social Development.
	Source:
	DWP Work and Pensions Longitudinal Study 100% data and HMRC Child Benefit administrative data.

Jobcentre Plus

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will place in the Library a copy of each document relating to his Department's pilot of customer segmentation at Jobcentre Plus.

Chris Grayling: The Government White Paper of December 2009 offered Jobcentre Plus the opportunity to identify four ‘Black Box’ districts, finding local and flexible ways to personalise services to customers. In Jobcentre Plus this became known as Delegated Flexibility Pilots and, later Local Autonomy Trailblazers—now Freedoms and Flexibilities Trailblazers.
	The main focus of the trailblazers has always been improving the quality of services offered by Jobcentre Plus, tailoring services to customers. Greater Manchester Central and Cheshire District's trailblazer has looked to build this ethos of tailoring services upon Customer Insight.
	Customer Insight can play a big part in ensuring relevance, to a local level, in the services we offer.
	Independently of the Flexibilities Trailblazers, DWP commissioned research to better understand DWP's customers' attitudes to, values and beliefs about work. This research is called ‘Beliefs about work: An attitudinal segmentation of out-of-work people in Great Britain’. The published report on this research is available on the DWP intralink.
	Our exploration in how we were progressing with tailoring services to customers identified that we were relying on a largely intuitive way of working out how to best tailor services to customers and, within the offer of Freedoms and Flexibilities, there was an opportunity to inject more use of customer insight to better tailor services.
	Teams in Greater Manchester Central and Cheshire designed several segmentation and diagnostic tools, particularly in the early months of its Delegated Flexibility Pilot. Greater Manchester Central and Cheshire District brought the research and the Freedoms and Flexibilities status together, developing a segmentation and diagnostic tool called ‘Reperio’.
	Operating with psychographic data, the Reperio tool works in such a way that it will use the database of information from the original research to reflect a new customer's current appeal to the labour market—a tool that operates using Customer Insight.
	The tool is designed to support advisers in delivering more insightful interviews, understanding how to improve their approach to finding work and encourage tailored action planning to achieve this.
	It was designed essentially as a proof of concept that such a tool could be devised and used to support our advisory service in better segmenting our customer bases and conducting more insightful diagnoses of customers' needs.
	Local use has been small but emerging findings include more sophisticated customer diagnosis of needs for different services, and improved customer segmentation. One Jobcentre found that using Reperio to organise customers to different group sessions improved off-flow performance by 20% from those attending those sessions.
	Wessex District, another Freedoms and Flexibilities pilot district, has been using an old version of the tool which they tailored to suit their needs.
	West London District is now scoping a trial of the tool, including experts from corporate teams to conduct a full evaluation of the tool. Currently, there are no reports or evaluation to publish, hence the trial is a real opportunity to test Reperio's true potential and gather resulting evaluation.
	In Greater Manchester Central and Cheshire, Stretford's Universal Credit Live Innovations Test is using elements of the latest version of Reperio as part of that testing process. The latest version of the tool is called ‘About Me’.

Jobseeker's Allowance

Michael Dugher: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone parents are in receipt of jobseeker’s allowance in Barnsley metropolitan borough.

Chris Grayling: In April 2012, there were 495 lone parents claiming jobseeker’s allowance in Barnsley local authority.
	The figure has been rounded to the nearest five.

Part-time Employment

Tom Greatrex: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the total number of households containing a couple working 16 to 18 hours a week on the minimum wage living in their own house and paying £1000 in council tax.

Chris Grayling: We use Family Resources Survey data to provide estimates of household economic status and housing costs. However, the sample size is not sufficient to provide estimates for small groups such as those requested.

Departmental Pay

Rachel Reeves: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what the lowest hourly rate paid to staff by his Department is; how many members of staff based outside London are paid less than £7.20 per hour; and how many members of staff based in London are paid less than £8.30 per hour.

Chris Grayling: DWP employees are paid an annual salary.
	The lowest annual salary paid to staff is £14,400 which equates to an hourly rate of £7.48.
	No DWP staff based outside of London are paid less than £7.20 per hour. An hourly rate of £7.20 equates to an annual salary of £13,853 (for staff based outside of London).
	No DWP staff based in London are paid less than £8.30 per hour. An hourly rate of £8.30 equates to an annual salary of £15,538 (for staff based in London). The lowest salary paid to staff in London is an annual salary of £18,050 which equates to an hourly rate of £9.64.

Pension, Disability and Carers Service

David Winnick: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  in what circumstances the Chief Operating Officer, in the Pensions, Disability and Carers Service of his Department signs replies to hon. Members who have written on behalf of their constituents;
	(2)  how many replies the Chief Operating Officer in the Pensions, Disability and Carers Service of his Department signed to hon. Members who have written on behalf of their constituents in the last (a) six and (b) 12 months.

Chris Grayling: The DWP's Chief Operating Officer (COO) is responsible for the operational delivery of DWP services previously delivered by Jobcentre Plus and the Pension Disability and Carers Service. This includes responsibility for ensuring replies are sent to hon. Members who have written to the COO, or to Ministers, on operational matters. Due to the volumes of correspondence received, the COO cannot personally reply on every occasion. He personally replies to 15 letters a week from hon. Members across a range of issues; all other letters are responded to by an appropriate DWP operations director.
	The information about the number of replies is not available in the form requested; the available information is in the following table:
	
		
			 Replies to hon. Members correspondence from the DWP's Chief Operating Officer (COO) and operational directors 
			  2011 Jan-June 2012 
			 Letters addressed to Ministers 2,209 1,209 
			 Letters addressed to COO/officials 4,886 2,204 
			 Total 7,095 3,413 
			 Source: DWP management information

Post Office Card Account

Eilidh Whiteford: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people in each region use the Post Office card account for receipt of (a) state pension, (b) pension credit and (c) other benefits.

Steve Webb: The information is not available in the format requested as data held relates to payment accounts rather than people. A customer may receive benefits in the form of a separate payment for each benefit to which they are entitled or a single, combined payment. Each of these payments is termed a payment account which would be paid into the same Post Office card account.
	
		
			 Payments into Post Office card accounts, by benefit type and region, at 31 March 2012 
			  State pension Pension credit Other benefits 
			 All 1,358,980 700,510 1,425,050 
			     
			 North East 80,690 50,430 102,510 
			 North West 181,860 99,730 234,770 
			 Yorkshire and Humberside 140,100 71,770 137,870 
			 West Midlands 105,470 47,550 90,930 
			 East Midlands 142,230 77,520 143,420 
			 East of England 107,570 48,480 79,000 
			 London 89,040 67,450 157,680 
			 South East 124,940 53,690 98,840 
			 South West 128,670 50,550 85,150 
			 Wales 118,850 53,240 120,410 
			 Scotland 139,550 80,090 174,480 
			 Notes: 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10, totals may not sum due to rounding. 2. Figures only relate to live and in payment accounts on the specified date. 3. Data does not include Northern Ireland. 4. Figures refer to payment accounts. Claimants with more than one payments account will be counted for each account. 5. Where a combined payment is made, this is shown under the heading corresponding to the benefit system used to pay the combined payment. 6. Child benefit is now administered by HM Revenue and Customs and war pensions are now administered by MOD. These benefits have therefore been excluded. Source: DWP, Information, Governance and Security Directorate, 100% data.

Public Expenditure

Cathy Jamieson: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions whether he expects his Department to underspend its budget for 2012-13; and what estimate he has made of any such underspend.

Chris Grayling: The OBR forecast underspends in Departmental Expenditure Limits as part of their Economic and Fiscal Outlook in the autumn.
	As part of the Transparency Agenda the Government publishes the full detail of plans and outturn for all Departments after the end of the financial year, usually in September. HM Treasury publish outturn data for all Departments from the COINS database, available on the Treasury website on a quarterly basis. Forecasts for 2012-13 outturn by Department will be published at Budget 2013.

Social Security Benefits

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many families in receipt of carers' allowance will be affected by the household benefit cap in each Jobcentre Plus district.

Chris Grayling: The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider whether it is feasible to produce the statistics requested within the disproportionate cost limit and, if so, will issue them in an official statistics release in accordance with the code of practice for official statistics.

Social Security Benefits: Lone Parents

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of lone parents with children under five years to whom the household benefit cap will apply; and how many such people are currently in receipt of income support (a) in total and (b) in each Jobcentre Plus district in England.

Chris Grayling: The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider whether it is feasible to produce the statistics requested within the disproportionate cost limit, and if so, will issue them in an official statistics release in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Social Security Benefits: Lone Parents

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the number of lone parents subject to the benefit cap who have children aged (a) under six months, (b) six months to a year, (c) between one and two years and (d) between two and five years.

Chris Grayling: The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider whether it is feasible to produce the statistics requested within the disproportionate cost limit, and if so, will issue them in an official statistics release in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Social Security Benefits: Lone Parents

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions what estimate he has made of the total number of children of lone parents in receipt of income support who will be affected by the household benefit cap in each Jobcentre Plus district in England.

Chris Grayling: The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider whether it is feasible to produce the statistics requested within the disproportionate cost limit, and if so, will issue them in an official statistics release in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Social Security Benefits: Lone Parents

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many children aged (a) up to one year and (b) between one and five years there are in lone-parent households who will be subject to the household benefit cap in each Jobcentre Plus area in London.

Chris Grayling: The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider, whether it is feasible to produce the statistics requested within the disproportionate cost limit, and if so, will issue them in an official statistics release in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Social Security Benefits: Lone Parents

Karen Buck: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many lone-parent households will be affected by the household benefit cap in each Jobcentre Plus district in London where the household is in receipt of (a) income support, (b) jobseeker's allowance, (c) maternity allowance, (d) carers allowance, (e) employment support allowance and (f) incapacity benefit.

Chris Grayling: The information is not readily available and has not previously been published as official statistics. We will consider whether it is feasible to produce the statistics requested within the disproportionate cost limit and, if so, will issue them in an official statistics release in accordance with the code of practice for official statistics.

Social Security Benefits: Medical Examinations

Frank Field: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions if he will ensure that each Atos assessment centre has a recording device available so that medical assessments can be recorded at the request of a claimant or their representative. [R]

Chris Grayling: Based on the results of a trial during 2011, we have not implemented universal recording for claimants going through the work capability assessment (WCA). We have asked Atos Healthcare to accommodate requests for audio recording, where a claimant makes a request in advance of their assessment. This approach began in late 2011 and we will monitor take-up during 2012 before making a decision on the requirement for recording assessments, taking into account factors such as value for money and the value it adds to the WCA process.
	As part of this process we are also reviewing Atos capacity to provide recordings for those claimants who currently request one. Additional machines have been ordered. However a large scale purchase of machines in the absence of an evaluation of the process is not effective use of public money. Although there have been increases in requests these still represent only a small percentage of overall work capability assessments.
	In the meantime, while Atos will do all that they can to accommodate requests for audio recording there may be times when the service cannot be offered, for example where it has not be possible to get access to recording equipment on the date/time of the WCA. In these circumstances clients will be told in advance that their request cannot be accommodated and offered a later date.

Statistics

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions with reference to the letter of 28 June 2012 from the Chair of the UK Statistics Authority to the right hon. Member for East Ham, if he will make it his policy that speeches made by Ministers in his Department are checked by departmental statisticians before delivery.

Chris Grayling: The Department's normal procedure is that ministerial speeches are checked by analysts in the relevant policy area who are familiar with the statistics, as the Permanent Secretary of the Department explained in his letter to the authority of 28 June 2012.

Work Capability Assessment

Stephen Timms: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions how many people identified as having (a) drug and (b) alcohol problems were referred for a work capability assessment in each year since the assessment was introduced.

Chris Grayling: The Department has published information on the outcomes of work capability assessments broken down by detailed medical condition, including mental and behavioural disorders due to use of drugs and alcohol. It can be found at the following link:
	http://statistics.dwp.gov.uk/asd/asd1/adhoc_analysis/2011/110906_wcaresultsbycondition_clean.xls
	Please note that this publication covers all new employment and support allowance claims that began between October 2008 and November 2010 and does not break them down on a yearly basis. We will consider whether it is feasible to produce the statistics requested within the disproportionate cost limit, and if so, will issue them in an official statistics release in accordance with the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

Work Capability Assessment: Mental Illness

Annette Brooke: To ask the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions 
	(1)  what recent representations he has received on current assessments made by Atos Healthcare of people with mental health conditions; and if he will make a statement;
	(2)  whether he plans to make any changes to work capability assessments for people with mental health conditions.

Chris Grayling: The Department continues to value the views of disability groups and we are engaged in ongoing and helpful dialogue both at ministerial and official level with group representatives.
	Recognising that particular concerns have been raised about the way the Work Capability Assessment (WCA) works for people with mental health conditions, Professor Harrington, as part of his second independent review of the WCA, has asked leading mental health charities to make recommendations to refine the mental, intellectual and cognitive descriptors used in the assessment.
	Professor Harrington agreed with the Government that further evidence is required to establish whether the charities' proposed descriptors would make the assessment more accurate and we are currently working with these groups to build up such an evidence base.
	Meanwhile the Department is also engaging with the charities to consider whether there are changes that could be made to the ESA50 questionnaire. In particular, we wish to understand whether it is possible to incorporate elements of the recommendations around frequency, severity and duration into the questionnaire to improve the collection of information from individuals with fluctuating conditions.

BUSINESS, INNOVATION AND SKILLS

3D Copying

Mike Weatherley: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what (a) meetings he has had with and (b) representations he has received from designers in the film and theatre industries on section 51 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and the protection of designs for sets, props and costumes against 3D copying; and whether he plans to review the effect of that section on such designs.

Norman Lamb: Officials from the Intellectual Property Office have had one meeting with representatives of the film industry to discuss this issue and have received no more than three written submissions.
	There are no plans to review the application of section 51.

Absenteeism

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the absenteeism rate was in his Department in each of the last three years.

Norman Lamb: I refer my hon. Friend to the reply I gave to the hon. Member for Bury St Edmunds (Mr Ruffley) on 10 July 2012, Official Report, columns 166-68W.

Aerospace Industry

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the aerospace sector is to the economy in (a) the UK, (b) the East Midlands, (c) Nottinghamshire and (d) Ashfield constituency.

Mark Prisk: Latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the manufacture, maintenance and repair of aircraft and spacecraft contributed £5.3 billion of gross value added to the UK economy in 2010. Gross value added figures for this sector are not compiled at the regional, county and constituency level.

Apprentices

Catherine McKinnell: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many apprenticeships have been taken up since May 2010; and how many of those apprenticeships have ended before their anticipated date of completion;
	(2)  how many apprenticeships since May 2010 have ceased before (a) six months, (b) 12 months and (c) two years;
	(3)  how many people have taken up an apprenticeship since May 2010.

John Hayes: holding answer 12 July 2012
	An estimated 904,900 apprenticeship starts have taken place between May 2010 and April 2012. This includes provisional data (383,200 starts) for the period since August 2011, which is subject to further adjustment.
	In 2010/11, the latest year for which final data are available, 192,900 apprenticeships ended more than a month before the anticipated end date. Of these, 82,200 successfully achieved an apprenticeship. However for the programme as a whole the apprenticeship success rate was 76.4%. These data relate to all learners irrespective of when they started.
	In 2010/11, the latest year for which final data are available, 15.9% (27,660 achievements) of apprenticeship achievements had a length of stay of six months or less, 56.1% (97,690 achievements) had a length of stay of 12 months or less and 43.9% (76,390 achievements) had a length of stay of 13 months or more. Achievements and durations relate to starts in any academic year.
	It should be noted that apprenticeship durations do not necessarily reflect the guided learning hours or the actual length of time in learning. For this reason apprenticeship durations should be seen as contributory information to any broader assessment of the apprenticeship experience and quality. The measure is intended to exclude those apprentices with some prior attainment.
	From August 2012 Ministers have decided that an apprenticeship must last at least 12 months for under 19s, and for adults unless prior learning is recorded and funding reduced accordingly, in order to ensure that every apprenticeship involves sufficient new learning and opportunity to embed new skills.
	Information on apprenticeship starts and success rates is published in a Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 28 June 2012:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
	Information on apprenticeship achievements by duration is published within the 'Other Statistics' section of the SFR website:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_other_statistics/

Apprentices

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills 
	(1)  how many apprenticeships in sales and telesales were started by people aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 24 and (c) over 25 years old in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12;
	(2)  how many apprenticeships were started by people aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 24 and (c) over 25 years old in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

John Hayes: Table 1 gives the overall number of apprenticeship programme starts and those in the “sales and telesales” framework by age for 2010/11 and the first nine months of 2011/12.
	Provisional data for the first nine months of the 2011/12 academic year (August 2011 to April 2012) provide an early view of performance and will change as further data returns are received from further education colleges and providers. These data should not be compared against data from earlier academic years. Figures for 2011/12 will be updated in the October 2012 Statistical First Release.
	
		
			 Table 1: Apprenticeship programme starts in the sales and telesales framework by age, 2010/11 (final data) and 2011/12 (provisional) 
			 Framework Age 2010/11 (Final) 2011/12 August to April (Provisional) 
			 Sales and Telesales Under 19 530 280 
			  19-24 860 920 
			  25+ 630 1,090 
			  Total 2,020 2,300 
			     
			 All Apprenticeship Frameworks Under 19 131,700 104,500 
			  19-24 143,400 119,000 
			  25+ 182,100 159,600 
		
	
	
		
			  Total 457,200 383,200 
			 Notes 1. Figures are rounded to the nearest 10 apart from the totals which are rounded to the nearest 100. Figures may not sum due to rounding. 2. Age is calculated based on age at start of the programme. Source: Individualised Learner Record. 
		
	
	Further breakdowns of the number of apprenticeship starts and achievements are published in supplementary table to the quarterly Post 16 Further Education and Skills Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 28 June 2012 at:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_supplementary_tables/Apprenticeship_sfr_supplementary_tables/

Apprentices

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how much the Government spent on (a) apprenticeships and (b) apprenticeships in sales and telesales in (i) 2010-11 and (ii) 2011-12.

John Hayes: Government spending on apprenticeships in the 2010-11 and 2011-12 financial years is set out in Table 1 as follows.
	
		
			 Table 1: Government spending on apprenticeships 
			 £000 
			  BIS funded adult (19+) apprenticeships DFE funded (16-18) apprenticeships 
			 2010-11 450,880 744,870 
			 2011-12 624,602 758,966 
			 Source: Skills Funding Agency Annual Report 2011 -12 
		
	
	We estimate that just over £4 million(1) of Government funding supported the delivery of sales and telesales apprenticeship frameworks in the 2010/11 academic year for those aged 16 and over. Information for the 2011/12 academic year is not available yet.
	(1) Figures for estimated funding come from the individualised learner record. They provide an indication of the level of Government funding. They should not be treated as actual spend, as spending is not reported at the framework level.

Apprentices

Gordon Marsden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many apprenticeships starts there were by people aged (a) 16 to 18, (b) 19 to 24 and (c) 25 and over in (i) the North East, (ii) the North West. (iii) Yorkshire and the Humber, (iv) the East Midlands, (v) the West Midlands, (vi) the East of England, (vii) London, (viii) the South East and (ix) the South West in the first three quarters of 2010-11.

John Hayes: holding answer 13 July 2012
	I will place in the Libraries of the House data which shows the number of apprenticeship starts by age, region and quarter in the 2010-11 academic year.
	Further breakdowns of the number of apprenticeship starts are published in supplementary table to the quarterly Post 16 Further Education and Skills Statistical First Release (SFR). The latest SFR was published on 28 June 2012:
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_current
	http://www.thedataservice.org.uk/statistics/statisticalfirstrelease/sfr_supplementary_tables/Apprenticeship_sfr_supplementary_tables/

Apprentices

Toby Perkins: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what skills units subjects are eligible for his policy to allow micro companies to add up to two broader business skills units to apprenticeships.

John Hayes: The Education and Skills Growth Review contained a commitment to enable micro businesses to add up to two broader business skills units to any full apprenticeship, recognising the wider skills range that employees in such businesses will often need. The National Apprenticeship Service will be publishing the final agreed list of units on 1 August via their website. This will include units in accountancy, business administration, customer service and other units that have been identified by small businesses.

Business: Regulation

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consideration he has given to extending the moratorium on new regulation for micro-businesses beyond 2014.

Mark Prisk: The Government has no plans to extend the moratorium on new domestic regulation for micro-businesses and start-ups at the present time.

Business: Regulation

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what consideration he is giving to implementing a one-in, one-out process for aspects of legislation affecting businesses other than regulation.

Mark Prisk: One of the most significant areas of legislation affecting business other than regulation is tax. For the spending review period Her Majesty's Revenue and Customs (HMRC) aims to reduce costs for customers in meeting their tax obligations, while committing not to increase the administrative burdens on business. HMRC has also strengthened the external and independent challenge function of the Administrative Burdens Advisory Board (ABAB), its panel of businesses and tax professionals who are either SMEs or work with them.
	In response to a review of small business related issues by the Office of Tax Simplification HMRC is consulting on a simpler system for small businesses to calculate tax on a cash receipts basis, and on simplified business expenses. HMRC also published, at Budget 2012, the report "Making tax easier, quicker and simpler for small business" which sets out HMRC's commitments to helping small businesses to find tax easier to understand, and to making it simpler and quicker for them to do what they need to do (register, keep records, file, pay), with greater certainty and accuracy.

Business: Rural Areas

Helen Grant: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to reduce the burden of administration on rural businesses.

Mark Prisk: The Government is committed to reducing the overall burden of regulation on all business, which includes rural businesses. To achieve this, the Government has announced a ‘One-In, One-Out’ rule, so that any new regulatory burden cannot be introduced without another being removed, and a moratorium on new domestic regulation for micro businesses and start-ups until April 2014. Sunset clauses have been introduced in new regulations which impose costs on business to ensure they remain relevant and fit for purpose. The Government has also introduced a new approach to transposing EU directives which includes removing gold plating and to ensure that UK businesses are not disadvantaged in relation to their EU competitors.
	The Government is also looking at ways of reducing the existing burden of regulation through the Red Tape Challenge by identifying and removing unnecessary regulation and conducting a review of the enforcement the first of which is on small food manufacturers, many of whom are rural. The Government also published its response to the Farming Regulation Taskforce in February 2012 setting out how it would reduce unnecessary burdens on the farming industry, including commitments to reduce inspections for farmers who are already achieving desired outcomes, reducing paperwork and seeking non-regulatory solutions wherever possible. The response can be viewed at the following link:
	http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb13717-farmregulationtaskforce-response.pdf

Conditions of Employment

Chuka Umunna: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills on what date he plans to publish the Government's response to his Department's consultation on no-fault dismissal for micro businesses.

Norman Lamb: We anticipate publishing a response in due course. The call for evidence ‘Dealing with Dismissal and Compensated No Fault Dismissal for Micro Businesses’ closed on 8 June. We received over 250 responses which we are analysing in detail.

Construction: Nottinghamshire

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the construction sector is to the economy in (a) Nottinghamshire and (b) Ashfield constituency.

Mark Prisk: The construction sector contributed the following amounts of gross value added to the economies of the UK overall, the east midlands, Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire and North Nottinghamshire (which contains the Ashfield constituency) between 2008 and 2010. Sub-national data are not yet available for 2010.
	
		
			 Gross value added of the construction industry 
			 £ million 
			  North Nottinghamshire Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire East midlands United Kingdom 
			 2008 933 3,375 6,919 98,467 
			 2009 856 3,054 6,194 85,576 
			 2010 — — — 88,857 
			 Source: Regional, sub-regional and local gross value added 2010 and UK National Accounts; both ONS

Debts: Advisory Services

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to improve standards and the quality of provision across the debt management sector; and if he will make a statement.

Norman Lamb: holding answer 16 July 2012
	On 14 June 2012 I chaired a round-table discussion on what a voluntary code for debt management plans might achieve, and how it might work. I want to see improved standards—especially for any vulnerable consumers that may fall into financial difficulty. I want consumers to know where they can get appropriate debt advice that leads to repayment plans that are sustainable and if they choose to pay for it, that they know what they are getting for their money.
	I believe that the industry should take this opportunity to show it can act responsibly and made it clear that I would like to see a voluntary agreement in place by November 2012.
	In addition the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) is working with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT) and the Money Advice Service to improve standards and the quality of provision across the debt management sector.

Debts: Advisory Services

Andrew Percy: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what measures are in place to promote high standards amongst debt solution providers in both the not-for-profit and commercial sectors to ensure there is sufficient availability of suitable, quality provision to meet the needs of vulnerable individuals.

Norman Lamb: holding answer 16 July 2012
	All who provide debt management services are required to be licensed under the Consumer Credit Act 1974. The Office of Fair Trading (OFT) has a duty to ensure that applicants are fit to engage in the activities for which they wish to be licensed and to monitor the continuing fitness of those to whom licences have been granted. To assist in their monitoring role, the OFT produces Debt Management Guidance, which sets the standards expected of all debt management businesses and makes clear they must, amongst other things, ensure that the advice provided is in the customers' best interests. Where the OFT has evidence of unfair practices, action can be taken to refuse or revoke or place conditions on the consumer credit licence of those concerned.
	The Money Advice Service has commissioned Money Advice Trust to develop a ‘best-practice’ standards framework for the delivery of debt advice across the UK.

Energy

Gloria De Piero: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the value of the energy sector is to the economy in (a) the UK, (b) the east midlands, (c) Nottinghamshire and (d) Ashfield constituency.

Mark Prisk: The energy sector contributed the following amounts of gross value added to the UK economy overall and the east midlands economy between 2008 and 2010. These data are not collected at the county and constituency level and regional data are not yet available for 2010.
	
		
			 Gross value added of the energy industry 
			 £ million 
			  East midlands United Kingdom 
			 2008 1,168 16,791 
			 2009 1,313 19,024 
			 2010 — 18,942 
			 Source: Regional Annual Business Survey 2009 and UK National Accounts; both ONS

Environment Protection: Sevenoaks

Michael Fallon: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to encourage green investment in Sevenoaks.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 16 July 2012
	We are committed to taking action now to put the whole economy on a low-carbon, resource efficient path. In doing so we need to maintain UK competitiveness and lay the foundations for strong and sustainable growth in the future.
	The Government is making rapid progress towards establishment of the UK Green Investment Bank, which will be a key component of the transition to a green economy. UK Green Investment Bank plc has now been formed with funding of £3 billion; it will complement other green policies to help accelerate additional capital in green infrastructure. It is expected to be fully operational in the autumn, following state aid approval. In the interim, the Government's UK Green Investments team (UKGI) is making Government investments in green infrastructure.
	Following an open competition, UKGI has committed £80 million to two fund mangers to co-invest equity into smaller waste infrastructure projects (project size generally below £30 million). A similar competition for fund managers to invest £100 million in smaller non domestic energy efficiency projects is at the due diligence stage. A pipeline of further projects is under development All these investments will be made on market terms or meet the requirements for existing state aid exemptions or approvals.
	The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has a number of programmes that are relevant to the development of the UK's green economy. Government initiatives, such as the Regional Growth Fund (RGF), the Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain (AMSC) fund and the work of UK Green Investment Bank plc, encourage investment across sectors and regions, including green or low carbon sectors in the south-east. The £125 million Advanced Manufacturing Supply Chain fund aims to increase growth potential in manufacturing by improving the competitiveness of supply chains. There have been several successful bids for the RGF in the south-east of England, of which some include green projects.
	In addition, last year the Government published ‘Enabling the Transition to a Green Economy’ which will help inform the continuing dialogue between Government, business and communities. It sets out the range of policies we are using to support the transition to a green economy, the opportunities that are created and the implications for the way in which businesses operate.

EU Internal Trade

Stephen Phillips: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to work with the European Commission to improve the functioning of the Single Market.

Norman Lamb: We have been working closely with the European Commission to improve the functioning of the Single Market. The Commission is currently preparing a further Single Market Act, a package of measures to strengthen the Single Market, to be published in the autumn. Working with other like-minded member states, we submitted our proposals for measures that should be included in any further reform of the Single Market, and we will continue to lobby to influence the content of the second Single Market Act.
	More broadly, we have fed in our views across the various strands of the internal market, particularly the recent Commission Communications on the implementation of the Services Directive and on the governance of the Single Market. These Communications broadly reflect UK priorities, following early engagement with the Commission, and we will continue to work closely with the Commission to ensure that the actions identified are implemented at the earliest opportunity.

Ex Gratia Payments

Stewart Hosie: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate his Department has made of the monetary value of ex gratia payments made through schemes administered by his Department in the last two years.

Norman Lamb: Details of the Department's ex gratia payments are given in the Department's Annual Report and Accounts. The monetary value of ex gratia payments made in 2010-11 and 2011-12 by the core Department was nil.

Foreign Investment in UK

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings he has had with non-UK Government stakeholders since 11 January 2011 to encourage regional foreign direct investment in (a) Scotland, (b) Wales, (c) Northern Ireland and (d) all the regions of England.

Mark Prisk: holding answer 16 July 2012
	I see it as an important part of my role to promote foreign direct investment (FDI) for all regions of the UK. I have regular meetings with foreign Governments, investment agencies and business to promote the whole of the UK as a world class investment destination and to encourage investment.

Green Investment Bank

Esther McVey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps he is taking to ensure the Green Investment Bank delivers the level of investment needed to green the economy.

Norman Lamb: We are making good progress towards the Green Investment Bank becoming operational later this year. Lord Smith of Kelvin has been appointed as chair of UK Green Investment Bank plc (UK GIB), and Sir Adrian Montague as deputy chair and senior independent director. With extensive corporate backgrounds and a wealth of experience, they are ideally suited to ensuring the Bank achieves its mission of accelerating investment in the UK's transition to a green economy.
	The Bank is being funded with £3 billion to 2015. This will provide the Bank with substantial capacity to make investments, mobilise private capital, and build a track record as an acknowledged leader in green financing. The Government have also committed that the Bank will borrow from April 2015, subject to public sector net debt falling as a percentage of GDP. Established as a Companies Act Company, the Bank has the legal power to borrow in 2015. As a publicly-owned institution, any borrowing by the Bank will count towards public sector debt and borrowing totals.
	To pave the way for the Bank we have set up a dedicated team of finance professionals, called UK Green Investments (UKGI), within BIS to make Government investments on commercial terms in green infrastructure. UKGI’s first transactions were in April, allocating £80 million to fund managers for investment in waste projects.

Green Investment Bank

Caroline Lucas: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills whether the Green Investment Bank will be able to raise funds through the capital markets when it is established; and if he will make a statement.

Mark Prisk: The Green Investment Bank (GIB) is being funded with £3 billion to 2015. This will provide the Bank with substantial capacity to make investments, mobilise private capital, and build a track record as an acknowledged leader in green financing. Catalysing private sector capital is central to the Bank's remit.
	The Bank will focus not only on investing £3 billion in projects which demonstrate ability to make a positive commercial return and green impact, but also on mobilising additional capital into a wide range of green infrastructure.
	The Government have also committed that the Bank will borrow from April 2015, subject to public sector net debt falling as a percentage of GDP. As a publicly-owned institution, any borrowing by the Bank will count towards public sector debt and borrowing totals.

Higher Education: Admissions

Sam Gyimah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many students were offered a place at their first choice university in the (a) 2011-12 and (b) 2012-13 academic years.

David Willetts: Information for the 2012/13 academic year will not be available until the end of the application cycle at the end of this year. Figures for the two most recently completed application cycles show that in 2010/11 371,840 applicants from all domiciles holding a firm first choice offer at a UK institution obtained a place on that course, compared to 374,311 in 2011/12.

Housing: Construction

Jack Dromey: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings have been held at his Department to discuss construction and housing finance in the last three months; and if he will publish the list of attendees, minutes and agendas of these meetings.

Mark Prisk: During the period of 17 April to 17 July 2012 the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills has had in excess of 50 meetings with the construction and housing industries on a range of issues including finance.
	To collate and publish details of attendees, agendas and minutes can be carried out only at a disproportionate cost.

Insolvency Service: Medway

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what cost-benefit assessment has been conducted in respect of the proposed closure of the Medway Insolvency Service Office.

Norman Lamb: The Insolvency Service has prepared a cost-benefit assessment principally based upon the accommodation and ICT cost savings arising from no longer maintaining an office in Medway, together with reduced salary costs in respect of any staff who may decide to exit rather than relocate, whom it is then decided not to replace.
	These savings are then offset by a number of costs including:
	(a) relocating staff or paying excess fares;
	(b) the ICT costs in providing more flexible working solutions for staff;
	(c) the costs of any relevant exit schemes;
	(d) an element of lost productivity and travel costs for increased work related journey times; and
	(e) the costs of recruiting and training staff if a decision is taken to replace any who choose to leave.

Insolvency Service: Medway

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the potential effect on the local community of the closure of the Medway Insolvency Service Office.

Norman Lamb: In relation to the impact on the local community, should closure be pursued, no further assessment has been made other than that as set out in the consultation document of March 2012. A copy of the consultation document can be found in the Libraries of the House and online at:
	http://www.bis.gov.uk/insolvency/Consultations/Medway
	The consultation, which closed on 22 June 2012, sought to test the assumptions and estimates set out within the document, and sought further comment on the impact of the proposed closure.
	The Insolvency Service is now considering the responses to the consultation, and representations made by hon. Members, to help inform a decision whether to proceed with the proposed closure or not.

Insolvency Service: Medway

Tracey Crouch: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what estimate he has made of the financial savings which would accrue from closure of the Insolvency Office, Medway.

Norman Lamb: Any estimate of the net savings would be dependant upon decisions individual staff may take should a decision be made to close the office, including transferring to the nearest office, relocation or taking an exit scheme.
	Estimated costs and benefits have therefore been prepared across a range of potential outcomes.
	For example, taking account of all potential costs and benefits, and an assumption that 25% of staff would seek an exit scheme rather than relocation, a total estimate of net savings over a five year period would be in the region of £690,000.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the administrative cost of each of the local enterprise partnerships has been since their introduction.

Mark Prisk: Administrative costs are a matter for each Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP). To support LEP core operational capacity BIS has made available £9 million of start up and capacity funding for the period 2011-15.

Local Enterprise Partnerships

Alison Seabeck: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what plans he has to review the progress of local enterprise partnerships.

Mark Prisk: Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) progress is reviewed regularly between this Department and the Department for Communities and Local Government.
	This is informed by the regular meetings that I have with LEPs.

Manufacturing Industries

Jim Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the likely effect of a change in the UK's relationship with the EU on the manufacturing industry.

Mark Prisk: The Department for Business, Innovation and Skills regularly reviews the benefits for UK business from the single market, including easier access to 500 million consumers. We will also participate fully in the recently announced Review of the Balance of Competences between the UK and the European Union. In the meantime we will continue to engage constructively with the European Commission, European Parliament and other countries to shape future EU industrial policy in a manner consistent with the needs of the UK manufacturers.

Ministerial Meetings: EU

Julian Smith: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what meetings he has had to discuss the letter sent jointly by the Prime Minister and other EU leaders to President Van Rompuy and President Barroso on 20 February 2012.

Mark Prisk: The joint letter sent by my right hon. Friend the Prime Minister and 11 other EU leaders was part of our ongoing efforts to work with likeminded member states to promote the EU growth agenda. The issues raised in the letter have subsequently been discussed at: the Ministerial Likeminded Group for EU Growth meeting in Vilnius in April which the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, the right hon. Member for Twickenham (Vince Cable) attended; the May Competitiveness Council which the Minister for Employment Relations, Consumer and Postal Affairs, the hon. Member for North Norfolk (Norman Lamb) attended; a meeting between the European Affairs sub-Committee and the German Ministerial Committee on Issues of the European Union which the hon. Member for North Norfolk attended; and bilateral meetings with Ministers from a number of member states (including Lithuania, Spain, Portugal and Germany) and Members of the European Parliament.

Motor Vehicles: Manufacturing Industries

Richard Burden: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills if he will consider the recommendations of the report by the All-Party Parliamentary Motor Group on Delivering opportunities: Automotive investment for growth of July 2012.

Mark Prisk: The Government has already taken action to address a number of areas that were highlighted in the All-Party Parliamentary Motor Group's recent report. I will write to the hon. Member shortly setting out what the Government is doing and will place a copy of my response in the Libraries of the House.

Origin Marking: Israel

Alex Cunningham: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what his policy is on mandatory labelling of goods from illegal settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank.

Norman Lamb: The Government's policy in relation to Israeli settlements on the West Bank and in East Jerusalem is quite clear: those settlements are illegal under international law, an obstacle to peace and make a two-state solution, with Jerusalem as a shared capital, harder to achieve.
	Under current legislation there is no mandatory requirement for goods produced in settlements in East Jerusalem and the West Bank to be labelled as such. Where specific EU legislation in the food sectors requires the country of origin to be indicated the Government believes that “Produce of The West Bank” is a lawful description of the origin of such goods (no food or drink of East Jerusalem provenance is imported into the United Kingdom). The West Bank is a recognised geographical area within the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
	So far as food and drink of West Bank origin imported into the UK is concerned, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has issued voluntary technical advice for the benefit of those importers and retailers who believe that their customers wish to distinguish between products of Israeli settlement provenance and those which originate from Palestinian growers.
	More generally the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008 ban traders in all sectors from using misleading commercial practices which are likely to distort the transactional decision of the average consumer. This includes statements about the geographical or commercial origin of products.
	As with other elements of goods, the Government encourages consumers who are interested in a particular property of goods, including their origin, to ask the seller. If they are not happy with the reply, then they can shop elsewhere. If they suspect that the reply is not truthful, then they can take the matter up with their local authority Trading Standards Officers who enforce the CPRs.

Overseas Students: Japan

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what assessment he has made of the contribution to (a) the UK language school industry and (b) the UK economy of revenue arising from language students from Japan.

John Hayes: holding answer 13 July 2012
	Language schools in this country operate as private businesses and, as such, are not required to register with the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) which does not collect data on them. Recent research on the value of education and training exports carried out by BIS shows that the overall contribution to the UK economy by language schools in 2008/09 was £2 billion. However, I am unable to tell the hon. Member what proportion of that arose from language students from Japan.
	The information on the contribution to the UK economy by language schools comes from “Estimating the Value to the UK of Education Exports”, BIS Research Paper Number 46, June 2011.

Postal Services

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what recent progress his Department has made on making the Post Office the front office for government.

Norman Lamb: Post Office Ltd has set out a clear ambition to become a 'front office for Government' by developing new services and winning new work from both local and national Government. Government supports this ambition. Post Office Ltd has made good progress so far, winning new business at the local and national level—examples include work with UK Borders Agency, the Public Carriage Office, Westminster and Hammersmith and Fulham—and it continues to develop this element of its business.

Postal Services

Michael Weir: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what Government services have been administered by the Post Office since May 2010.

Norman Lamb: Post Office Ltd is responsible for operational matters relating to the services it administers on behalf of Government. I have therefore asked Paula Vennells, the chief executive of Post Office Ltd, to respond directly to the hon. Member and a copy of her reply will be placed in the Libraries of the House.

Regional Growth Fund

John Pugh: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many projects successful in rounds one and two of the Regional Growth Fund programme have received the funding awarded to them; how much this amounts to; and how much remains to be awarded pending the completion of due diligence processes and signing of contracts.

Mark Prisk: 176 bids under Rounds 1 and 2 of the Regional Growth were conditionally allocated funding subject to confirmatory due-diligence. These bids translated to 237 individual awards as some bids have multiple counterparties. As of 16 July 2012 110 offers have been finalised. A further 56 bidders have agreed terms and conditions and are undertaking due diligence. Offer letters specify the triggers for drawing down Regional Growth Fund (RGF) awards. Normally, awards are drawn down in tranches after specific investment and/or employment milestones have been reached. To date a total of £502 million has been drawn down against 46 final offers. Outstanding RGF funding is forecast to be drawn down over the period to March 2014 in line with the budget for the RGF.

Regional Growth Fund: Birmingham

Shabana Mahmood: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills how many applications his Department has received for support from the Regional Growth Fund from businesses in Birmingham, Ladywood constituency; and how many have been (a) successful and (b) unsuccessful to date.

Mark Prisk: In Round 1, 15 projects or packages of project applications located within the Birmingham metropolitan borough (see following note) were received. None of these applications were successful. In Round 2, 10 projects, packages of projects, or programme applications were received located within the Birmingham metropolitan borough, of which three of which were successful.
	Note:
	Each project/programme or package of projects application has been given a single location. These are estimated using the information given within the time of application. In cases where the location is vague e.g. covering a range of postcodes, or activities located at multiple sites, and the local authority district has been deemed as the key location where most of the activity occurs.
	Locations describe where the project will occur rather than the address of the applicant or a project partner. Information is not provided at a geographic level smaller than local authority district.
	Some programmes have a national reach these have not been assigned a location, though may well operate in the area concerned. Some projects/packages/programmes are still subject to due diligence. The outcome of this process may change the amount of funding allocated to a project/programme initially.
	Information on individual projects and programmes or for areas where there are fewer than three bids is not released for reasons of commercial confidentiality.

Technology and Innovation Centres

Chi Onwurah: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what the status is of each catapult centre announced to date; how much funding each centre has received from (a) the public purse and (b) other sources; what the membership is of each (i) leadership team and (ii) business-led steering group; and what the programme of activity is in each case.

David Willetts: holding answer 16 July 2012
	The High Value Manufacturing Catapult centre opened for business in October 2011 and is operating and working with UK businesses large and small. Bob Gilbert was recently appointed as the chair of the supervisory board and the High Value Manufacturing Catapult leadership team comprises the management board consisting of the CEOs of the individual centres and an interim CEO.
	The High Value Manufacturing Catapult centre has to date received some £27 million as core grant funding from the Technology Strategy Board. Its activities are focused on improving and expanding the capability of the seven member centres, for example investing in novel machining centres that will help businesses take cost out of the manufacture of new precision components. There are a series of programmes, such as low carbon vehicle developments through light-weighting and energy storage and management programmes that will help keep the UK in a leading position in the field, and those to support the process industry in developing the supply chain for printed electronic inks, photovoltaic components and their integration into novel structures.
	The Cell Therapy Catapult has recently appointed chief operating officer Keith Thompson and, as I recently announced, will-be located in Guy's Tower at London Bridge. The Catapult is starting to design the facility and specify the equipment for its Guy's base and, to date, has received funding of £270,000 from the Technology Strategy Board. It will become operational in the winter of 2012/13.
	The Technology Strategy Board is making good process in establishing the other five Catapult centres. The delivery consortium has been announced and is working on the detailed plans for the Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult based in Glasgow and the North East of England. To date no funding has been paid to this Catapult. It will also become operational in the winter of 2012/13.
	Also, I announced recently that the Satellite Applications Catapult will be based at Harwell and the delivery consortium is developing the plans. The leadership teams for each of the Catapult centres are being actively recruited, starting with the chair and CEO. Additionally, the Technology Strategy Board teams are actively engaged with industry and stakeholders to refine the operational principles for the Catapults in Connected Digital Economy, Future Cities and Transport Systems. To date, no funding has been paid to these four Catapults. They will become operational in 2013.
	Of the seven Catapult centres, only the High Value Manufacturing Catapult has received funding from sources other than the Technology Strategy Board. We will gather this information from the seven centres that comprise the High Value Manufacturing Catapult and I will write in due course when it is available and place a copy of the information in the Library of the House.

Training: Shipping

Brandon Lewis: To ask the Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills what steps his Department is taking to encourage skills and training in the marine industry.

Mark Prisk: The Government and industry published a Marine Industry Growth Strategy in September 2011. This work is being taken forward by the Marine Industries Leadership Council which I chair jointly with Richard Sadler (CEO Lloyd's Register). As part of this work we have formed a Marine Sector Skills Group which works closely with Semta, the sector skills council for the advanced manufacturing and engineering sectors. This work has strengthened relationships among stakeholders, and continues to expose the skills agenda to a widening community of small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs).
	For example, an intermediate apprenticeship framework has been developed by the Marine Skills Alliance for the Merchant Navy and other maritime jobs.
	A University Technology College specialising in marine engineering is planning to open in Plymouth in 2013. It will cater for students aged 14 to 19, offering technically oriented study in a school equipped to industrial standards.

DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER

Public Sector Pay

Gareth Thomas: To ask the Deputy Prime Minister how many staff working for his Office are employed through off-payroll engagements costing less than £58,200 per annum; and if he will make a statement.

Francis Maude: I have been asked to reply 
	on behalf of the Cabinet Office.
	Since 2010 the Cabinet Office has applied strict controls on the engagement of consultants, interim managers and specialist contractors who may not be engaged without prior approval from the Cabinet Office Approvals Board.
	Approval is only given to engage contractors and agency staff if a case can be made that shows that the use of such non-payroll resource is 'operationally necessary', could not be fulfilled by an existing civil servant, and offers value for money.
	Annual expenditure by the Cabinet Office on consultancy fell dramatically in 2011-12 and in 2010-11 expenditure was around a third of what it was in 2009-10. Expenditure on temporary staff was also reduced by more than 40%.
	The Cabinet Office has 35 contractors and agency staff whose contracts are expected to cost less than £58,200. Of these, seven are expected to cease over the course of the next few months, and the rest remain under review.
	Sometimes there is a requirement for a contractor with specific knowledge and expertise to be engaged for a longer period to see through a big project—just as any private sector organisation would do. It makes sense, under these circumstances, to use a contractor when the alternative would be to recruit a permanent employee which would incur more ongoing, longer term cost to the taxpayer.